The Start of Something New
by jon08
Summary: After the Incident with the Demetors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.
1. Chapter 1

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think, slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 1. An Old Acquaintance!

It was the Thursday before the start of the Christmas holidays in my last year at Bristol University. I had been studying towards a diploma in Social Work, and was living in rented accommodation with four other students. They weren't a bad lot if a little immature, into drugs and parties. I missed having a girlfriend, Lisa and I had drifted apart when she went abroad to work after going back to Hogwarts to complete her education. I still had regular communication with Harry, although, we weren't close, at least we were still friendly to each other.

My housemates thought me a little odd because I had an owl that seemed to visit me at irregular intervals, and well educated because I regularly read a foreign newspaper, which is what the Daily Prophet looked like to muggles.

I was packing up to go home for the holidays when Athena, Harry's owl came flying in through the open window. I took the letter from her leg and she flew to the desk and settled down, I quickly opened the envelope, when she stayed like that it meant Harry was expecting a reply.

'Dudley, can you meet me in London at the Leaky Cauldron tomorrow night at eight? I've got good news and some slightly bad news. Don't worry, not that bad, though! Send your reply with Athena. Harry.'

I liked Harry's owl and I think she was alright with me, at least she'd never tried to bite me like his first one had, but I wondered why Harry didn't telephone me, with something that needed a quick reply. I'd even got him one of the new wizard mobile phones, but I don't think he'd ever used it, and whenever I called it, it had always gone straight to voicemail. Usually if I wanted to communicate with him I would have to go into town and the wizard post office and send a letter using one of their owls.

I penned a quick reply. 'See you there, I'll drive down and then drive home to Mum and Dad's afterwards, Dudley; and she flew back out the window back to Harry.

I finished my packing, all the laundry I hadn't got round to, and the coursework I had to complete over the Christmas holidays and presents for Mum, Dad and Harry, and packed them in the Mini that had been given to me after I passed my Driving Test.

I shoved everything into the car and locked it up and headed back to into the house. I wondered what Harry's good news was, and the bad. I phoned Mum to tell her I would be late getting back as I was meeting Harry and his cryptic message. "Ok, Dudley, drive safe and give your friends my best. I'll see you later tomorrow night. Do you want me to leave a meal ready for you?"

"No thanks Mum, I'll eat at the Leaky Cauldron before meeting Harry, and I won't drink, as I'm driving, so don't bother telling me!" She laughed and hung up; she had to be careful what she said in the house. Dad was still vehemently anti-Harry and anti-magic, although he didn't say much in Mum's presence but you could tell, whenever Harry was mentioned he would huff and start mumbling under his breath.

It was a little disconcerting being back in the Leaky Cauldron and the Magical world. Although I had been writing to Harry and getting regular news through the Daily Prophet, I hadn't stepped into the magical world proper for over two years. I walked through the door expecting to see the familiar face of Tom behind the bar, but there was a different face behind the bar.

"Hello Dudley! It is Dudley, isn't it?" she looked at the puzzled expression on my face. "You've gone and forgotten me, haven't you?"

I looked at the barmaid, where had she seen me before? Where had I met her? "It's Hannah isn't it? We met at Justin's birthday party. How are you and Ernie?"

"I'm fine! I don't know how Ernie is. We broke up after our last year at Hogwarts."

"Oh. So are you seeing anyone now?"

"Yes, I am," she pulled her wand and shot green stars up the stairs behind the bar.

There was the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs, and a voice called out, "hang on Hannah, I'm coming."

A tall man about our age came running down the stairs and hit the bar in his effort to stop. "What is it? What's wrong? He panted, wand in hand.

"Neville put the wand away. I sent up green sparks not red. I just wanted to introduce you to someone." Neville looked at me, obviously trying to work out who I was. "Dudley, this is my boyfriend Neville Longbottom."

Neville and I looked at each other over the bar. Neville was a good looking wizard, but his face was crisscrossed with several old scars. He shook my hand, "I think I saw you at Hogwarts on Harry's birthday after the battle. You gave him a new owl."

"I didn't see you there! Where were you hiding?"

"I wasn't. I was on the Ravenclaw table talking to one of the professors about retaking my N.E.W.T.s. the next year. I'd missed out on the exams after the Carrows' had decided I was surplus to requirements, becoming too much trouble. I holed up in the Room of Requirement and plotted insurrection from there."

"So you were a Ravenclaw then?"

"No, for the first four years I was the worst student in our year, I was in Gryffindor with Harry. I was useless; I couldn't get the hang of the simplest spells. That all changed in our fifth year, partially with the newest Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher..."

"I take it you mean Harry, I heard he taught it in his fifth year; Dumbledore's Army."

"Yeah, I do, there were other reasons that helped as well.

"Like?"

"The first time Harry defeated Voldemort when he was a baby, some of his followers tried to find his whereabouts by torturing two Aurors using the Cruciatus Curse. They were my parents. The Death Eaters tortured them until they went insane. They're still in St Mungos to this day. I was raised by my Grandmother, but during the fifth year, they escaped from Azkaban, and the desire for revenge helped me as well. I was determined to avenge my parents."

"I'm sorry to hear about your parents, is there no hope for them?"

"None, the medi-wizards have tried everything. There was just too much damage done at the time. They'll be in the hospital until the day they die. I still go to visit them, but I'm never sure if they even recognise me."

I'm sorry! But I just noticed one thing; you called 'You Know Who' by his proper name, most wizards still use some other thing to refer to him. The Prophet is always talking about the uncaught Death Eaters and they still don't refer to him by name. Why is that?"

"It's a habit I caught off Harry, he always used the proper name; 'fear of a name only increases the fear of the thing itself.' For a time the name was jinxed, it caused magical alarms to go up anytime his name was mentioned because only his enemies used it, but that's all over now. But the habit is still there with a lot of people. Old fears die hard."

"I know about old fears, I still have occasional nightmares about those bloody dementors attacking me, and Harry saving my life. Those things really creeped me out.

"I never had to deal with them, but just the thought of them gives me the creeps."

"They would anybody. But enough of that, what's happened to Tom? Are you the new owners of the bar?"

Hannah laughed, "No, he's visiting his son in Australia for Christmas, and we're looking after it for him. It has its advantages!"

"Like what?"

Neville grinned. "Like no gran. She's very happy that I've got a girlfriend but she's very old fashioned in her way. She had Tom put caterwauling charms on mine and Hannah's bedroom doors. If both of us are in either bedroom at the same time, it sounds an alarm in her house. She'd be here faster than a Quidditch seeker after the snitch. So we sleep in a third bedroom!"

"NEVILLE!" Hannah blushed.

I laughed. "Don't worry your secret is safe with me. As long as I can get something to eat, I'm meeting Harry here in an hour and it's been a long day.

"No problem." Hannah took my order and motioned me to sit at one of the side tables, and bought me a butterbeer. I sat reading the Daily Prophet looking at the couple of other patrons that were in the bar. One of them was a rather disreputable looking fellow who looked like he needed a bath; he was keeping a constant eye on the door as if he were looking to run at the first sign of trouble. I couldn't place him but I knew I'd seen him somewhere before! I sat drinking the warm butterbeer and trying to figure out who the disreputable looking wizard was, to no avail. I couldn't put a name to the face; so I asked Hannah when she brought my meal. "That's Mundungus Fletcher, a small time crook and con man; you don't want anything to do with him. He probably heard you mention Harry and is looking to flee when he arrives."

"No. The name means nothing, but I'm positive I've seen him somewhere before!" I sat there eating my meal and tried to remember where I'd seen him before.

As I finished eating and ordered another butterbeer and continued to wait for Harry, the disreputable looking wizard came over to me. "I think I owe you an apology."

"Pardon!"

"Well forgive me if I'm wrong, but aren't you Harry Potter's cousin? You see if you are, it was because of me that you get attacked by them dementors. You see I'd just received news of a load of cauldrons going cheap and well it were too good a business opportunity to miss you see."

"I don't understand... hang on, was it you that apparated on our front lawn and got attacked by Mrs. Figg? If it was I think you did me a favour!"

"Blimey! Are you touched in the 'ead or summat? Being attacked by them bleeding things and you think I did you a favour, you must be."

"You misunderstand me! Those dementors did me some good; they made me see what my life had been like. I was a bully and a lazy layabout. Without them, attacking me, I'd never have made it up with Harry. I'd have lost my only cousin. Don't get me wrong I still have nightmares about that night, but could you have got rid of them before I was attacked?"

"Dunno! Never mastered that Patronus thingy. I would have gone to get 'elp though!"

"So, do you think the help would have got their in time to stop the dementors attacking Harry and I?"

"Well! Most likely. Bit 'ard to tell ain't it?"

I looked him in the eye. A disconcerting experience as his eyes seemed to be looking constantly at the doors to the premises and never at me. "So, it didn't really make that much of a difference did it? They'd still have attacked me, and Harry would still have had to intervene to save my life?"

"Suppose so! But its more than likely that the bleedin' 'orrible things would've gone f' me, innit? I mean, I'm not exactly the most respectable of people like! So it might've spared you bein' attacked like?"

"I don't know? I don't know that much about you Mr. Fletcher, only vaguely what I remember when Mrs. Figg was attacking you with her umbrella that night, and what I've heard from Hannah tonight. But I wasn't exactly a saint myself. I'd spent years bullying Harry and the other kids in our neighbourhood. I lied, I cheated, I wasn't the perfect kid by any means."

"Blimey! 'Oo, you callin' Mr. Fletcher, almost makes me feel respectable? Most people call me Mundungus, or more usually Dung. I still should've been there for ya!"

"In a way, I'm glad you weren't. Horrible as the dementors were," I shivered violently at the thought of them, "the experience did me some good. It showed me the error of my ways. If the attack hadn't happened I might possibly be the same self centred, ignorant, spoiled brat that I had been all my life."

"Grief! The way you talk about the experience, makes me almost feel like a bleedin' 'ero! Changing you for the better like!"

"I wouldn't exactly call you a hero, but you certainly aren't the villain of the piece you point yourself out to be. That would be whoever set the dementors on us that night. It can't have been just coincidence."

"I weren't! Didn't you read the Prophet about sometime in July after Harry finished off 'You Know Who?' That ministry toad, Umbridge, she got sent to Azkaban for the abuses what she'd done to Muggleborns, and another one of 'er crimes was setting them dementors on you and 'Arry that night."

"I must have missed that one. It probably came before I got my new ID card from the Ministry."

"'Ang on! You've got a Ministry ID card. I thought you was a Muggle?"

"I am." I pulled the card from my wallet and showed it to him. "I think I was one of the first to get one of these?"

He looked at the card and read what it said, "right, I 'eard summat about that, it were a new initiative by the Ministry to include the family of Muggleborns more in the education of their kids. How come you was one of the first to get one then?"

"It was my idea. All the time I was in hiding, when Harry was doing his part in the wizard war, we had something similar provided for us by the Ministry. It enabled me to properly interact with the wizard world for the first time. I petitioned for something similar after it was returned. Even spoke directly to the Minister about it."

"Cripes! You spoke to the Minister. You must've spun a good line to get one of them things? Wish I had your tongue. Could be useful t'get me outta scrapes sometimes."

"Not really. I just pointed out some advantages to letting certain Muggle interact with your society. I mean, once they have a wizard in the family, the Statute of Secrecy doesn't apply to them in the same way. They need to know about your world."

"Good point..." he suddenly reached into his robes and pulled out a mobile phone. "Sorry gotta take this! Business associate like. Hello Warty, that you... What was that?... I'll be right over. See you in a bit." He hung up and stowed the phone back in his robes. "I can't stand these new bloody phone thingammywhatsits meself. But that's the price of business these days. Nice meeting you." He shook my hand and quickly left the pub; still trying to look in every direction he could for any sign of the law."

I went back to reading the paper, really just filling time until Harry arrived. There was a slight cough in front of me; I looked up to see Neville standing at the table. "Was Dung bothering you, sorry didn't really notice. I was out the back and Hannah was busy serving. Anyway, I've got to tell you that Harry rang. He's slightly delayed due to an accident concerning a friend, but he'll come and meet you shortly!"

"Oh right, thanks! No, Mr. Fletcher, Dung wasn't causing any trouble he came to apologise for not being there in our fifth year, when those dementors attacked us. He'd apparated away on some sort of shady business deal, when he should have been guarding Harry; it was then that the dementors attacked. I told him that it wasn't his fault and in some small way, I'm glad for the attack. After all, I wouldn't be here waiting to see Harry if they hadn't. Did Harry give you any idea of what the accident was; I hope it's nothing serious?"

"Sorry no! He didn't, but he didn't sound too worried. Did you want anything else?"

"Not at the moment thanks, I'll be up shortly to settle the bill." Neville nodded and left me to finish reading the paper, clearing the table as he went, and I went back to reading the Daily Prophet, but there was really nothing of interest in it at the moment. I finished reading the paper and went over to the bar to settle my tab.

"I'd like to settle up for the meal and another butterbeer please, and could you take for a drink for Mundungus Fletcher, the next time he's in. Tell him it's off me!"

Hannah looked a little mystified at this, "that's a Galleon, 3 knuts then please. But may I ask why you're buying Dung a drink? You don't want to be mixing with his sort."

"It's something of an old matter. It's because of him that I've still got a cousin who wants to speak to me!" I left the bar and went back to wait for Harry. I was glad this butterbeer stuff wasn't alcoholic, or I'd be in no fit state to drive home. I wonder what the accident was that was holding up Harry; hopefully he'd tell me when he got here...

Please Review. I will get round to updating as soon as I am able, but I am having difficulty at the moment with internet access at my home, so have to keep using an internet cafe to post my story. I fully intend to follow canon with this story, although I have to admit I have no idea how long it would take Dudley to get his Diploma in Social Work, so I am guessing on three years, this being about the time a lot of degrees take. I hope you enjoy the first chapter of what I hope will be the continuing saga that began in my previous story 'A New Beginning'. I will be trying to title all my chapters as I go along this time, look out for the next one soon 'You've Been Keeping Secrets'


	2. Chapter 2

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think, slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 2: You've Been Keeping Secrets...

I was sitting in the Leaky Cauldron nursing a butterbeer and waiting for my cousin to come and tell me his good news that he'd mentioned in the letter he'd owled me with yesterday; and wondering what this friend's accident was when I heard the door to the pub open and a tall individual with a hood covering his face and cradling a small child in his arms walked in.

The individual looked around the bar and quickly headed towards the side table where I was sitting and quietly sat down. "Sorry about the delay, Dudley, but as Neville probably explained a friend had an accident, so it meant a slight change of plans." The child on his shoulder looked up and across at me. It was like seeing Harry as he'd been when he was about five, although this boy looked a lot better fed than Harry ever had.

"Good grief Harry, I think you've got some explaining to do to me. That's never your son. He must have been born while you were still at school. You've been keeping some secrets to yourself."

Harry looked a little puzzled for a moment then seemed to notice that the boy in his arms looked like him. "Oh sorry, didn't realise he'd changed on me! This is Teddy, he's my godson. His parent's died in the Battle of Hogwarts and he usually stays with his grandmother, but she fell down the stairs at home earlier and broke her leg, so I've got Teddy for the night while she's in St. Mungos. That was the accident I mentioned to Neville earlier."

"What do you mean changed?"

"Teddy is a Metamorphmagus, which means he's a special type of wizard that can change his appearance at will. Normally he's brown haired, with brown eyes, but he must've changed since his appearance since I picked him up. Anyway I was going to tell you my news here, but I need to get Teddy home to bed at mine, so if it's alright with you, I'll apparate us all to my house. Where did you park your car anyway? Don't want to get you too far from it; you'll need it later if you're going to drive home."

"I parked it a few streets away, in a little square, called Grimmauld Place. It was one of the few places I could find with no double yellow lines. I hope that's not too far to walk back to from yours later."

Harry laughed, "No it's not that far from mine, you'll understand when we get there. We'll have to go outside to apparate. The bar's got a disapparition jinx on it. Can't leave from here."

We went outside and I grasped Harry's arm tightly. I didn't like apparating that much, but I was willing to put up with it, to find out Harry's news, and to see what was meant by his cryptic remark about me understanding when we got there.

I felt the familiar feeling of being sucked through a straw and we were in the small square where I'd parked earlier. My car was outside number 13, next door to number 11. I'd noticed the oddity of no number 12 earlier when remembering where I'd parked.

"You live here? What number 11 or 13?"

He laughed again, "neither!" then in a rather formal manner he said. "I, your cousin, Harry James Potter, live at number 12 Grimmauld Place." I looked at him to see if there was an explanation for his rather cryptic statement, there was no number 12. I was about to say something when I noticed that between 11and 13 there was now another house. Harry knocked on the door and it was opened by a familiar face.

"Hello Ginny," I said, "don't tell me you've actually moved in with my cousin. He has been keeping things from me."

"No! I'm only here for tonight as he's babysitting Teddy. I'm still living at home with Mum, Dad and Ron."

We were interrupted by Kreacher, Harry's house elf who was dressed in an eye watering outfit. His trousers were a patchwork of green and red, his shirt a rather vibrant orange. "Good evening Master Harry, Kreacher has prepared the bedroom next to yours for young Master Teddy, will you be taking him up straight away."

"Thank you, Kreacher, I don't think so. He's had a traumatic evening, I'll keep him with us for now, and he'll be more comfortable in company. Could you make him a cup of your excellent chocolate and I think tea for three. Is tea alright with you Dudley?"

"Fine thanks, I've had too much butterbeer for tonight. I'm curious to find out what you news is. You were a bit mysterious in your letter last night. I also wonder why you don't phone me when you want a reply. I don't think you've ever used the mobile I bought you!"

"Well there's two reasons for me not telephoning you. This house is unplottable, that means it doesn't show up on maps or anything, but it also means that if I tried to use the mobile phone I'm always out of range, no signal. But then there's this." He picked a battered looking phone off the mantle and handed it to me. I looked at it. It was the one I'd given him, but it looked as if it had been micro waved, shot, and melted in a furnace. It was a mess. "That's the result of a killing curse. One of the remaining Death Eaters tried to kill me, and the phone absorbed the curse, saving my life, but unfortunately it was fatal to the phone."

"It saved your life, well I'm glad it was some use, even if not the use I'd intended. I'd have hated to lose you before your time."

We made our way into a lounge and sat down on comfy chairs, Teddy was placed on a sofa opposite me, with Ginny sitting next to him. "It's done more than that! There's a team of research wizards at the Ministry trying to find out what happened. Normally the killing curse is unstoppable. If they can replicate what that phone did, they will have found a way to protect the Aurors tracking down remaining Death Eaters and other dangerous criminals."

Kreacher came in with a tea tray with a silver teapot, three teacups and a mug of steaming chocolate. "Thank you Kreacher, I won't need you for the rest of the night, either Ginny or I will put Teddy to bed. I'll see you in the morning at breakfast in the morning."

"Thank you Master Harry, Kreacher will go to his room then, but if you changes your mind, you just need to call. Goodnight Masters, Miss Ginny." He quietly left the room.

Harry handed the mug of chocolate to Teddy, who to my surprise had changed again; he now had blue eyes and blonde hair. "He must like you Dudley; he only copies people he likes. I'll have to check whether Andromeda has been dropping him on his head, it's gotta be brain damage. Harry laughed.

"Thanks. Nice to know I'm appreciated; I drive nearly 200 miles to be insulted. Who's Andromeda, anyway?"

"Andromeda Tonks, Teddy's maternal grandmother, she was Sirius' cousin. Her family cut her off when she married a Muggleborn. Nice family the Blacks were; all that pureblood nonsense. They only decent one was Sirius, my godfather, it was another cousin of his Bellatrix, that killed him."

"Crikey, you've got me worried now, cousins killing each other, we're not going to have a go at each other are we? I don't want that!"

"No! You're alright; I never wanted to kill you. I was tempted to curse you once or twice, but then again you did bully me an awful lot. I've got over that mostly."

"Only mostly! Thanks for the warning I'll be extra careful then."

"It's not a problem. The you I wanted to curse doesn't exist anymore. He was that fat, obnoxious, arrogant bully who made my life hell at Privet Drive. You're not him anymore. I really do think you had a personality transplant from that dementor. I can't think of another explanation."

"Thanks!" I laughed. Then in a slightly aggressive tone, "but are you going to tell me your news or, am I going to have to beat it out of you like that obnoxious bully that I was. Harry looked at me over the rim of his teacup; it was obvious that my last mark had unnerved him slightly. I sputtered into my tea. "Come on Harry, I'm joking."

He relaxed a bit and looked at Ginny who held out her hand. There on her ring finger was a fabulous gold and diamond ring that I hadn't noticed before. "I asked Ginny to marry me and she agreed." His face had a grin that threatened to split his head in two it was that wide.

"Congratulations. I dunno, you get all the luck, nice house, pretty girlfriend, sorry fiancé; and here's me, still living at home, no girlfriend, and a group of friends at University who think I'm a bit of a weirdo for getting owls turning up all the time. That's obviously the good news, so what's the bad? Has her brother stopped talking to you, or something?"

"No! It's her mother!"

"What? I thought she'd be over the moon, I mean her whole family loved you from what I remember seeing. I thought she'd be ecstatic at the news that you're getting married?"

"She is! Unfortunately, she's decided it's her job to organise the wedding. So you can imagine, it's going to be the biggest thing on wizarding history since the foundation of Hogwarts. I think we should just do what Fred said at Bill's wedding. Tie her up until it's all over and everybody just turn up in whatever they wanted." He gave a pained laugh, but his eyes were sad, probably remembering that Fred would never get married. He'd died in the battle of Hogwarts.

"Either that," I said. "Or you could do it the Muggle way and elope to Gretna Green and get married there!"

Ginny laughed. But harry said, "No thanks. I'd rather not spend the rest of my life as a radish thanks. I'll let her Mum organise it, grin and bear it, so to speak."

"Oh well, you have my sympathy then, have you told anyone else yet or am I the first?"

"Well, Ginny's family all know, Andromeda and now Teddy, I was planning to tell you before them, you being immediate family but... as things happened today. I thought she could do with a little good news. But other than that you're among the first, even her brother Charlie doesn't know yet. Athena's flying the letter out to him in Romania as we speak."

Teddy had finally fallen asleep on the sofa and Ginny picked him up to take him up to bed, I looked at the clock. "Oh blimey, it's nearly 11, I should get off."

"You could stay here, you can phone from outside in the square, the unplottable charm wears off out there!"

I looked at the time and considered the time I would get home, "if that's no trouble, I think I'll take you up on the offer, I'll just pop outside to phone home." I quickly left and went out to my car, retrieved something clean to put on tomorrow and phoned home.

"Dursley residence, Vernon Dursley speaking, what do you want at this time of night."

Oh crap, it would have to be Dad who answered, "Hi Dad, it's me, I am at a friend's in London, what with catching up and everything, it's later than I realised, so I'm stopping here overnight and I'll come back tomorrow. I don't want to be driving so late!"

"Ok Dudley, I'll tell your mother. Who's your friend? Anyone I know?"

"No, Dad, it's just a friend who graduated last year and we're catching up!"

"All right, I'll see you tomorrow then, enjoy yourself!" I picked up the present for Harry and made my way back into the house.

I walked back into the lounge; Ginny had come back from putting Teddy to bed and was sitting next to Harry on the sofa. "Dad answered the phone so I told him I was with a friend who graduated last year. Mum knows the truth; she'll understand when he tells her. I don't like lying, but it's a requirement with Dad, he still goes ape whenever you or magic are concerned."

"I understand; the supplies we purchased from his company for the reconstruction of Hogwarts were often late or wrong. In the end, we changed to another company. It was a slight inconvenience to the community at the first dealing with another Muggle company. I mean your father knew all about magic, but his attitude made it impossible to work with him."

"I think he's got worse since then, although he doesn't actually say anything in front of Mum and I, you can see him chewing his moustache and going purple in the face whenever you are mentioned or anything about your world."

"What does he say about your choice of degree and future career choices? When we first met back up at Hogwarts, you motioned he was preparing a place in his company for you?"

"Oh God, you should hear him on social workers, 'bloody busybodies', 'interfering know it all's', and 'nosy good for nothings' in his opinion. Not that his opinion matters that much to me now. He still can't see the truth that as a family we abused you in your childhood. He was the perfect parent and carer to you and me in his view. Pphht!"

"I understand, it was you and your Mum that most surprised me. Your Mum more than you, she was always so anti-magic, of course I can understand her reasoning, even if it was wrong. Perhaps if Dumbledore had explained better in letter to her, he was always keeping things to himself to make life easier for others. Of course in his way he was a genius, he just used to forget others weren't, I miss him in a way."

"I wish I could have met him again. He made an impression on me that night he told you that your godfather had left you a house. This one I'm presuming? What was all that formality when we were in the square? Why couldn't I see the house?"

"The Fidelius Charm, I'm one of several secret keepers about its existence, Dumbledore was the original Secret Keeper, when he died, everyone he'd told became a secret keeper. As everyone who knew the secret was part of the Order of the Phoenix and loyal in their way to me, we decided to leave it in place. There are still some Death Eaters out there, who want to get me, and I have a bit of a reputation in the wizard world as a celebrity, so it sort of helps that way, I don't have reporters or fans on my doorstep every time I step outside the front door."

"Oh god, my cousin the celebrity. You even have paparazzi in your world? What magazines do they work for?"

"well there's Witch Weekly, the Daily Prophet, and I've even had Play Wizard trying to persuade me to do a photo-shoot. I'm afraid Witch Weekly are going to lose one of their most eligible bachelors soon. I can't say I'll miss that, my post has to be sorted by the ministry, I apparently got five proposals of marriage last week in the post. The oldest person offering was 107, I mean I'm flattered but really."

"107, come on," I laughed, "she'd not last past the wedding night!"

"I think I have it quite lucky in that the ministry intercepts all that sort of thing for me. I occasionally see the amount of post I get when I go to work, it was about a sackful last week, and that was quiet. Most of it gets returned with some sort of polite note, for which I'm grateful."

"another illusion destroyed, even the wizarding world gets junk mail, and here was me thinking of moving into your world to escape it!"

Ginny looked puzzled, "What's junk mail? Who'd post rubbish through the post?" Harry and I then spent the better part of half an hour explaining the concept of junk mail to Ginny, by the end of which we were all yawning and called it a night. harry and Ginny made their way to their rooms and myself to the guest room indicated. This had been a long day and I was glad it was over and that Harry and myself were getting along so well...

Please Review: I know this sounds like a cliché, but reviews are the only way for a fanfic author to know how they're doing. Sometimes a comment by a reviewer can spark the flames that will allow the story to use the 'floo' and progress faster, rather than using muggle transport. Ha Ha.

Author Note: Gretna Green is just over the border in Scotland, the law was slightly different in Scotland for a long while, and you could get married at 16. Didn't need the permission of parents etc. It is still a popular spot for weddings even though the laws in England have now changed.


	3. Chapter 3

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think, slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 3: A Magical Christmas.

After an excellent breakfast, that morning all prepared by Kreacher, I was getting ready to make my way home when Harry handed me a piece of parchment; "this is for your Mum, don't let your Dad see it. It'll just look blank to him, but I don't want him seeing either of you with parchment, he might get the idea you're in correspondence with freaks like me, and I wouldn't want any trouble."

I shook Harry's hand and tentatively gave Ginny a peck on the cheek, "ok and thanks! Congratulations again by the way. I can't wait to tell her your news. I'll be careful how I tell her if Dad's around, don't worry."

I went out to the car and set off for home.

I pulled into the drive, just in time to see Dad climbing out of his car, damn he was home. No proper catching up with Mum for a while, unless I was careful. Dad nodded in my direction and made his way into the house, leaving the door open for me to unpack my car. I unloaded all I could in one go and carried it to the utility room where Mum kept the washing machine and seeing there was already a load in, left it on the floor and went to unpack the rest of my stuff. I took the small amount if clean clothing and my course books in with me and up to the second floor and into my bedroom, where Mum was pushing the hoover round in her almost obsessive daily routine, that hadn't changed about her.

I motioned to her to leave the hoover on and follow me to my room. She left it droning away and tithe top of the stairs and followed me in. "Why the secrecy, Dudley? Is anything wrong?"

"Of course not, but Dad will only hear the hoover from downstairs and not our conversation." I handed her the piece of parchment, I'd been given by Harry and she quickly opened it and read the contents. She looked a little mystified by its contents and handed it to me. 'Your nephew, Harry James Potter, live at 12 Grimmauld Place, London. I understood now what the reason behind the note was. I handed it back to her and said, "He obviously wanted you to have his address, its protected like our address was that year in Tinworth. He's one of the secret keepers, he told me, but I can't tell you."

"Why would he want his address to be secret? Isn't he safe now that that evil Lord Voldemort is dead?"

"Of course he is, but apparently he's a bit of a wizard celebrity and he doesn't want all the wizard community to know where he lives. He said he's always getting a lot of fan mail, the ministry sort it for him; he even got a proposal of marriage from one witch who was apparently 107."

"Oh, well that makes some sort of sense. Go on tell me more how is he?"

"He seems fine; I had a bit of a shock though yesterday evening when he came by to pick me up, he was carrying a boy about 4 years old that looked the spitting image of him when he was younger."

"Four years old. He had a four year old son? I always thought he was such a shy boy. He was certainly keeping more than a few secrets from us wasn't he?"

I laughed, "I said almost exactly the same thing Mum, apparently the boy is his Godson, whose parents were killed that year we were in hiding. He some kind of special wizard that can change his appearance at will. Harry was looking after him for the night after his grandmother had fallen and broken her leg. I got quite a shock at his house later when little Teddy, that's his name, changed at one point to look like me. Harry said that was a sign he liked me, then he told me the real reason he wanted to speak..."

"Go on then, don't keep me hanging on! What's the news?"

"Harry is engaged!"

"What? Tell me all about her! Did you meet her? What's she like? How long has he known her?"

I proceeded to tell Mum all about Ginny and her family that I could from memory and about his comments about the wedding being the wizard event of the year and his prospective mother-in-laws involvement in the planning. She laughed at this, especially Harry's remark about not wanting to spend the rest of his life as a radish if he eloped with Ginny as I'd suggested. "Well from what you tell me, she seems a nice young lady, I wish I could meet her, but with your father being like he is, I doubt that will happen very soon. I wish he would see that Harry was a better person to us than we were to him, but I don't think that's going to happen." I reluctantly agreed with her and she went back out onto the landing to finish her hovering.

On the Wednesday before Christmas I was in the lounge with Mum and Dad when my mobile phone rang in my pocket. I removed it to look at the number on the display to see who was calling, but all the display said was 'Ministry of Magic' that really intrigued me. I mumbled something about wanting to take this call and hurried out into the hallway. "Dudley, hi it's Harry, I'm calling from work. I've just been speaking to the Arthur Weasley, my prospective father-in-law and he wondered whether you would like to spend a couple of days with the family and me over Christmas."

"I'd love to spend some time with you and your new family over Christmas, what were you thinking about? I can't come for Christmas Day though; Mum and Dad will expect me at ours for that!"

"I was going to suggest that I collect you the day after Boxing Day and you could stay for New Year as well, I'll take you by floo. I'm meeting an old friend in the area that day, and if I met you there we could travel to the burrow together."

"I wasn't aware you had any friends in this area! I thought Mum and Dad had ruined your reputation with that rubbish about you attending St. Brutus' School for Criminally Incurable Boys. But if that can be arranged it would be great. Who's your friend?"

"Well, if you think about it a little, you may be able to guess. She helped me out one particular night with you."

I pondered this for a moment, helped him with me one particular night. "Hang on, do you mean Mrs. Figg. I thought being a squib she wasn't connected to the floo network; she mentioned something about having no contact with the magical world when we were talking about you that first summer."

"I do, but she's been connected up since then, it's some idea of Kingsley Shacklebolt's, keeping in touch with anyone who has magical connections. You never know when they might be useful. He was right about that, although for slightly different reasons than he might think in this case. So do you think you could come?"

"Definitely, what time did you think of meeting me?"

"About three! If you drive to Mrs. Figg's, she'll allow you to put your car in her garage so your father won't notice it and we'll go from there."

"Ok, thanks! I'll see you next week!" With that I hung up and sat on the stairs for a few minutes thinking about how I was going to tell my parents about this one, without making Dad do an impression of an erupting volcano.

"Who was your call from son?" asked Dad as I went back into the lounge.

"A friend from University, he's just got engaged," I saw Mum look at me with a knowing look in her eyes. I just continued as if I hadn't noticed, "he's invited me to go see him just after Christmas and see in the New Year with him."

"When would you be going, you know we're going to see Marge on the 29th, she's not been too well this year and is thinking of moving into a retirement home!"

"I'll be going the 27th, Dad, I'm sorry, but you'll have to give Aunt Marge my apologies." That was lucky; no slobbering kisses this year and no Ripper to savage my leg. Dad accepted this, but did go on and on telling me how disappointed Marge would be, as if trying to convince me to change my plans. No chance of that.

Christmas with Mum and Dad was the same as usual; Mum had cooked enough to feed an army and Dad make his usual attempt to eat a whole platoon's worth of food. I was glad I'd lost my previous over-eating issues, although I'm still sure I ate too much, but that's Christmas for you. Dad tried a couple of times to get me to change my plans for the New Year, but there was no way I was missing out on my plans. I'd been into town after Harry had called me and brought a couple of presents for some of the family I knew would be there, but I gathered there would be a whole clan gathering by New Year, but I couldn't afford to buy something for everyone, student grant's don't go that far and although I knew I could get money off Dad if I'd asked him. I wanted these gifts to be from me.

Mum even surprised me by giving me a large parcel from her. I didn't know what it was or when she'd got it, but I'm sure whatever it was, he would appreciate the gesture behind it at least.

So on the 27th, I ate lunch with my parents and drove off to Mrs. Figg's deliberately going in the wrong direction so as not to give Dad any indication of my real destination. I pulled into Mrs. Figg's driveway at about quarter to three, only to see her looking through the window. She waved and disappeared back behind the curtain. I was just getting from the car when the door to her garage opened and she was inside beckoning me in. It was nice to see her again, although we'd talked quite a bit a couple of years ago when she'd been telling me about Harry, we hadn't spoken that much since. With my university work and everything, I hadn't been around that much. I did know that her cat, Mr. Tibbles had passed away about a year ago, so I was a little surprised when she called out as we went into the house through the back door, "Mr. Tibbles, if you could bring some tea and cakes into the lounge please." Oh dear, was she going senile in her old age?

Imagine my surprise as we sat down in the lounge to see a house elf dressed in the usual colour blinding arrangement of clothes that they all seemed to favour bringing in a tray. The tray was set up for three people, although at the moment, there was only the two of us. As Mrs. Figg thanked the house elf there was a loud crack from the back garden and Harry walked into the lounge through the kitchen. "Hello Dudley, Mrs. Figg, Happy Christmas, if a bit late." We all sat in the lounge drinking tea and eating cake, a big improvement on the fare when I'd first been here, that time the cake had been slightly stale and the whole house had smelled vaguely of cats. Although there was still a couple of cats in evidence the whole house seemed a lot cleaner and brighter as well.

"When did you get a house elf, Mrs. Figg? I thought they were confined to magical families?"

It seemed that when her cat had died, she had been trying to get some help around the house from Social Services, but they wouldn't help, so she had spoken to Harry by floo, and he had arranged it all. With the wizarding community now wanting to keep track of all squibs, it was agreed that she could get a house elf to help her out, and it was a great help. She'd named him after her favourite cat. I don't know if I'd have liked to have been named after a cat, but the house elf seemed happy enough about it.

Soon it was time for Harry and I to leave, I picked up the rucksack as I listened to his instructions on how to travel by floo powder. Slightly apprehensively I threw the powder he'd given me into the fire, said "the burrow" and quickly stepped into the green flames. It was like one of those mad fairground rides where you sit in some kind of seat and go round and round. I was nearly ready to throw up when it stopped and I could see a friendly looking rotund woman waiting to help me out of the grate. Wizard travel was faster, but I think I preferred Muggle transportation thank you very much.

As I stepped into the kitchen of a very ramshackle looking house, the fireplace behind me gave a whoosh and Harry emerged from the fireplace. "I see you've met my prospective mother-in-law, Dudley, has she introduced herself properly yet?"

"No dear, I haven't had time." She gave me a big hug, "so nice to meet you properly at last Dudley, I must say I approve of the changes since I last saw you!"

I was puzzled, "where have you seen me before Mrs. Weasley, I'm positive we've never met!"

"No dear we haven't but I remember the rather fat pasty looking boy who was trying to hide behind his parents at Kings Cross. You've lost a lot of weight and look at lot healthier for it."

"Er! Thank you! There was the sound of a clock getting ready to strike from somewhere in the kitchen and I followed Mrs. Weasley's gaze to the oddest clock I'd seen. There were four hands with faces on them. The one showing what I presumed was Mr. Weasley was showing travelling and then moved to home. A tall gentleman with ginger hair starting to grey came in the door.

"Hello Harry, is this your Cousin Dudley?" he held out his hand. "It's nice to meet you properly at last; I've never been able to thank you for getting me that promotion at the ministry.

Harry looked mystified at this turn of events. Obviously he hadn't been told it all. "When I went to see the Minister a few years back I made a phone call in his office using my mobile, I told him that a Ministry employee had enchanted it to work in a Magical environment. It was that which encouraged him to offer Mr. Weasley the new post as Minister for Technology."

"So that's how he got the job. He never did tell me in any detail, so between you you're both responsible for saving my life!"

"What's that dear?" asked Mrs. Weasley, looking a little alarmed.

"Do you remember about twelve months ago when I was after Yaxley, well he fired the killing curse at me. It hit the mobile phone that Dudley had given me. That phone was enchanted to work in a magical environment and it was Arthur who invented the spell. I knew he'd been made the Minister for Technology but not how he'd got the job. So in his own way he's paid me back for the incident with the snake in the fifth year!"

I was suddenly engulfed in almost bone crushing hug. "So you saved Harry's life, it seems your family is extremely lucky for ours. Harry has saved Ginny, Arthur and Ron's lives and now I learn your responsible for saving his." She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. After all the fuss had died down and we were all sitting comfortably I got a couple of small gifts from my rucksack and handed them to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. "Oh Dudley, you shouldn't have!" said Mrs. Weasley opening the parcel to find a box of chocolates. "Ooh thank you, I love Muggle chocolates," she quickly removed one from the box and bit into it with a dreamy expression.

Mr. Weasley looked mystified at the small number of items that had come from his present. "Erm! What exactly is this Dudley?" I took one of the small twisted wire puzzles from his hands and manoeuvred them abut in my hands for a moment and showed him the two separate pieces, twisted them about in m hands again for a few seconds to show them locked together again. His face lit up. "Ooh! More Muggle magic like that box of your mother's!" he spent the rest of the evening, twisting the individual puzzles about in his hands with mutters of, "amazing, ingenious, and fascinating" under his breath.

I gave Harry the parcel from Mum and he raised his eyebrows and opened the parcel. It was a hand knitted jumper with a broomstick on the front. His eyes lit up and he pulled it on. It was a little on the large side for him, but his face lit up in a wide grin. "you'll have to thank her for me Dudley, this is great!"

Ginny and Ron arrived later, they'd been helping George in the shop, the sale season struck everywhere. Ginny smiled when she saw me, but Ron had a scowl on his face. "what's he doig here? He was a bullying git to Harry."

"we invited him Ron and you'd better be polite to him, he told us earlier how he apparently was responsible for saving Harry's life."

"what? How? When?" the entire story was told again for Ron's benefit and he looked a little sheepishly at me! "Sorry Dudley, but I remember Harry talking about you when we were at school. You didn't come across as the nicest person. He really didn't like you!"

"I understand, I really don't like the me I was then either." I handed them both the presents I'd bought for them after I'd been invited.

"err! Thanks," said Ron, I feel e bit of a git now, I haven't got anything for you."

The rest of the evening was spent telling each other stories about Harry, Ron especially liked hearing about him turning the teachers hair blue when we were in primary school, and I enjoyed hearing about his exploits at school. Eventually I was shown upstairs to the bedroom which had been the twins, Harry and I were sharing which was a surprise to me, but it was good that he felt comfortable enough around me to sleep in my prescense , if it'd been the other way round and I was the one treated the same way I'd treted him, I wouldn't have been.

Please review. I enjoy the input from my reviewers. The knowledge that I am bringing some kind of enjoyment to others is very rewarding, and sometimes their ideas and suggestions can be useful.


	4. Chapter 4

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think, slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 4: New Year with Old Friends.

The next day after an excellent breakfast prepared by Mrs. Weasley, Harry offered to take me to a quidditch match. It was a charity match being held on behalf of St. Mungos', the wizard hospital, being held not far from here. I'd read about quidditch in Harry's school books and some of the books I'd borrowed from the library in Tinworth, but I'd never got the chance to see a match and jumped at the opportunity. The only bad thing about it was, we'd have to apparate there.

We went out into the garden and I took hold of Harry's arm. With the now familiar sickening feeling we were in the middle of a field somewhere. We started tramping through the frozen field, while Harry told me a little about the game. It was between the Chudley Cannons and Pride of Portree, so unfortunately, the result was a foregone conclusion. I questioned this as it made no sense to me. It seems the Cannons were the worst team in the league, finishing bottom for the past 75 years. It was Harry's opinion that they couldn't win if the other team played without broomsticks, but it should still be fun for me to watch.

Suddenly I felt slightly sick and disorientated as we were moving towards the edge of the next field, I tripped and Harry grabbed my arm to stop me falling face first into the dirt. "What's up Dudley? Are you alright?"

"I feel sick and as if I shouldn't be here, uneasy, disorientated!"

He looked concerned for a few seconds, then grinned and waved his wand in my direction. Suddenly I felt a lot better. "I forgot, sorry, it's the Muggle Repelling Charm on the field we're going to. You're a muggle, so you suddenly thought you shouldn't be here." I took the card from my wallet and placed it inside the glove I was wearing, to stop the discomfort returning, although I expected the spell Harry had put on me would work all day, and followed Harry the rest of the way. The field was dominated by a reasonably sized stadium, Harry paid for the both of us to get into the stadium and we took seats somewhere in the middle of the stadium.

Four and a half hours later, after what had been an extremely hectic match to my eyes, the result had been what Harry predicted. The Cannons lost 350 points to 70. I'd missed several of the goals being scored, but I had seen the seeker catch the snitch, which Harry had missed, watching the chasers at the other end of the field. The seeker had made a dive, nearly hitting the pitch, but had managed to catch the snitch. I could see the reason why it was popular though. It certainly had been impressive with 15 people in the air on broomsticks at the same time.

Back at the Burrow, Ron and Ginny had returned from working in their brother's shop, and the inevitable discussion of the match began and went on most of the night through another excellent meal and right up to the time we all headed up to bed, lasting longer than the match itself. Most of it went over my head talk of cobbing, wonky feints and several other types of foul that went over my head, but I enjoyed the evening just as much as the match itself.

Harry and I spent the next couple of days going round together, me playing the tourist and him the guide. What really surprised us both though when he showed me his vault at Gringotts, was that apparently I also had an account there.

On speaking to the Head Goblin with Harry, it transpired that I had been responsible for the goblins being allowed to invest in the Muggle stock market and an account had been opened in my name. I was quite surprised at this and very astonished at how much was in the account, apparently, mine was one of a few Gringotts accounts that earned interest from my money, something almost unheard of in wizarding circles. According to Harry later, it was quite a respectable amount, in wizarding terms, as we made our way to George's joke shop, me with my new key to my Gringotts vault in my wallet along with my card.

On New Year's Eve we were all joined at the Burrow by a few more people, there was Bill and Fleur with their young daughter, Victoire, Percy, his pregnant wife Audrey and George. We were expecting the other brother, Charlie, but apparently there was some sort of back-up in the floo system and he was stuck in Romania. Great, even wizards had traffic jams. Harry was the only one who got the joke and spent at least half an hour explaining my comment to Arthur Weasley, who still seemed fascinated by Muggles.

That afternoon it was decided that all of our generation would take part in a quidditch match in the Weasleys orchard, I was quite expecting to sit on the sidelines and watch when to my surprise I was handed a broom and a beaters bat by Ron. As everyone mounted their brooms I tried to get mine to fly, but I remained firmly on the ground. I was going to have to sit and watch anyway. Then, I remembered the card and got it from my wallet. As soon as it was in my hand the broom rose quickly into the air and I promptly fell off it and headed towards the icy ground. Fully expecting to fall and break my nose I was quite surprised when I floated quite gently to the floor, no harder than if I'd fallen off a cushion. Harry came flying over to me, wand in hand. "What happened Dudley?"

I showed him the card, "I can only use the broom when I'm holding this and I don't think I'll be able to hold this and the broom and the beaters bat." I was quite disappointed in a way, quidditch looked awesome and I was looking forward to playing it myself. Harry thought for a moment, then whistled the other players to join us both on the ground and explained my dilemma. A heated discussion went on for a couple of minutes then Ginny took the card from me, waved me wand at it, and the card was suspended from a ribbon. I placed this ribbon over my head and inside my shirt where it was touching my skin and I could feel the broom want to respond in my hand.

Harry, Ginny and I were playing George, Ron and Bill; Percy was referee and apparently also in control of making the balls didn't leave the orchard, to be seen by the local Muggles. The rules were somewhat different to the formal game as we didn't have the full complement of players, Harry and I were combined beaters and chasers, with George and Ron taking the same position on their team, Ginny and Bill were seekers and keepers combined.

Although I was not that confident a flyer, feeling like I still needed 'training wheels so to speak' on my broomstick, I had great fun. I managed to score one goal with the basketball that was used as a makeshift quaffle and managed to hit George quite squarely in the face with the football that was being used as a bludger.

I was extremely glad that we were not using real bludgers as I was hit several times myself; it still hurt though, obviously not as much as a real steel bludger. Our snitch, an enchanted golf ball, was eventually caught by Bill in a magnificent move where he looped the loop over Ginny and snatched it from behind her back. The final score was 230 to 80, so it had been anybody's until the snitch had been caught. As we made our way back to the house I definitely agreed with Harry that quidditch was the best game, I was going to follow it a bit more closely in the future.

Later that evening were all sitting comfortably in the lounge with drinks in our hands, all chatting amiably about differences between the wizard world and muggle one. Wizards did not have any universities. All education after the students took their N.E.W.T.s was done in an apprenticeship like arrangement. I was quite intrigued by this, because it seemed there was no chance of new trades or inventions in the wizard world. Arthur apparently agreed with my opinion, it was only through my intervention that his department at the ministry had been instigated. The previous new department at the ministry had been over 150 years earlier when the Department for Magical Games and Sports had been set up. It seemed to me, I was responsible for quite a lot of changes in the wizard world. I hadn't mentioned to anyone the notice I'd seen in Gringotts 3 years ago about coinage being re-issued. I'm sure if the coins in my vault and others at the bank were examined they would be gold plated steel or something else, but then again, knowing about goblin workmanship, this might not be that detectable.

All conversation came to a halt as the flames in the fireplace turned an emerald green and a wizard with long red hair and a dragon tooth earring appeared in the flames. It was the missing brother, the one I hadn't met, Charlie. He carried several parcels I his arms and proceeded to hand presents to everyone, but looked a little puzzled when he saw me. "Sorry, but I don't remember seeing you before. Who are you?"

"This is my Muggle cousin, Dudley Dursley! He's seeing the New Year in with us!"

"Right, a muggle! Hello Dudley. Don't see many Muggles where I work, unless they've got past the muggle repelling charms and got caught by one of the dragons. Hasn't happened recently though."

"If it's the same charms as I felt a few days ago, I'd be surprised if you get any muggles near, I felt awful until Harry realised what was wrong and used some sort of spell on me."

"They're similar, but not exactly the same. The usual spells have an adverse affect on the dragons, makes them irritable, but the principle is the same. Believe me you don't want to be round an irritable dragon, they're bad enough when in a good mood."

"I'll take you at your word, I'm just glad the dragons are in Romania and not round here thanks."

"You really mean that, right just don't go near Towyn, in Wales then!"

"Why?"

"The Welsh Dragon reserve is near there, bet you can't guess what that dragon's favourite food is."

"It must be sheep obviously, but seriously you're having me on, dragons in Wales. I'd never have guessed."

"Sorry, but it's good dragon country out there, mountains, caves, what do you think caused some of those mining disasters in the past. The muggles tunnelled into a dragon lair by mistake and the coal was ignited by the dragon. They're fireproof, so it wouldn't bother them."

"Have muggles ever seen the dragons then?"

"That's why there a lot of fatal mountain climbing accidents where the body is never recovered, dragons eating innocent mountaineers. If a dragon is seen by a muggle and they escape, they usually have their memory modified, so they don't remember it."

"So it's just Wales I should avoid then if I don't want to meet a dragon?"

"No, Scotland as well, there's dragons there too. We have two breeds in Britain, Draconis Cambrianis Viridis, and Draconis Negris Hebridae!"

"You what?"

"Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Black dragons, they're the two British breeds. Theirs dragons all over the world, why should Britain be any different?"

"Never thought about it, really, just you never hear about it on Muggle news, imagine the coup if some news agency could report that!"

"They do occasionally, when some Muggle has managed to photograph a dragon, the film is altered by the Accidental Magical Reversal Squad. What was it the Muggle news called them?... youfee's or something like that?"

"I think I know what you mean. The term is UFO's it stands for Unidentified Flying Object. I always thought the type of person who saw them were nutters, I'll have to change my opinion."

Our conversation was interrupted by the wizard radio in the corner switching on, "... witches and wizards all over Britain, the New Year is nearly on us, special thanks go to Marvin Lee Aday for that song, a singer so good he's even made it into the Muggle charts. Now everyone charge your glasses as we go live to London for the chimes of Big Ben."

Mr. Weasley flicked his wand and every glass was refilled and we all wished everyone "Happy new year," as Big Ben Chimed midnight exactly the same as I usually did at home with Mum and Dad. We all drank a toast to 2002 as the radio clicked itself back off again.

We seemed to have lost the thread of the conversation that had been going on before the chimes, and were suddenly yawning and showing signs of getting ready for bed.

Please Review and let me know what you think of my work, I've had several people add this to their favourite story list and myself as a favourite author, I'm flattered, thank you very much.

Author note: i) There are three towns called Towyn in Wales, I make no inference that the Dragon Reserve is near to any of them, but if it is, I don't know which one. It's a bit like saying Springfield USA, but which one. I've been told there's one in every state; being British I don't know if this is true!

ii) I apologise if my Latin is a bit rusty with the names of the dragons, it has been a few years since I studied it, but I feel that Charlie being a dragon lover would know the scientific / magical names.

iii) Does anyone know who the singer was I mentioned? No disrespect is meat to the artist in person and no inference is made that he is a wizard, just a humorous tribute to him.

iv) In England the New Year is usually celebrated listening to the chime of Big Ben, which incidentally is the BELL in the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster or Houses of Parliament, not the clock itself.


	5. Chapter 5

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think, slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 5: Of Horcruxes and Photos.

"So what exactly is a social worker?" Ron asked me the next morning; Ginny was also trying to understand the role I would be playing after graduation.

"you know of my situation when I was living with Dudley and his parents, made to sleep in the cupboard under the stairs, almost starved, made to do all the chores. Well a social worker is employed by the local authority to investigate things like that. If the situation warrants it they could take action, remove the victim from the abusive atmosphere, and possibly take legal action against the abusers. Their responsibilities cover everything from children to adults."

"Yes, but there is one vital thing needed, knowledge. The authorities didn't know about Harry's situation with us. It was one of those situations that fell through the system. Harry's placement with us was handled by the wizard community, but the Muggle authorities should have been notified. They knew nothing about it, the lies told by my parents were believed by our neighbours, they all thought Harry was a troublemaker. Nothing was done to help Harry. It is highly likely that if the authorities had known about his situation, he would have been removed from our care, my parents prosecuted, and myself put into care as well. Placed with foster parents, it would probably have been better all round if that had been what happened. But if it had, I'd have lost my cousin."

"I'm sorry to say Dudley, but for most of the time I spent with you and your family, I would have welcomed the prospect. My life was hell. Everything that went wrong was my fault, even if it wasn't. I couldn't do anything right. You were the perfect one, huh; you were a perfect bully, you were bloody awful to me. I hated your guts."

"But, why wasn't anything done, surely the Muggle authorities knew something was going on?" asked Ginny.

"I don't think they did! I spoke to Professor McGonagall after the battle, before Dudley arrived. She had pleaded with Dumbledore not to place me with the Dursleys. She had seen, no offence Dudley, that in her words they were 'the worst sort of muggles imaginable'. She tried to convince him to place me with a wizard family, any wizard family. I can see both points of view now, but before the battle of Hogwarts I wouldn't have."

Ron looked puzzled, "what do mean, how you understood something after the battle? What happened?"

"Honestly Ron, didn't you realise when Voldemort came back with my body that he must have used the killing curse on me again. I survived because of the first time he tried. All my life until that moment I had two souls, I was the seventh horcrux."

"Hang on Harry," I asked, "what's a horcrux? You've lost me, two souls, what are you talking about?"

"Ok Dudley, what you are about to learn is known to only a few people, Ron and Hermione know most of it. It's mostly new to Ginny as well. So please leave any questions till I've finished. Ok!" Ginny and I were nodding, we both wanted to hear this.

"Ok, there was once an orphan called Tom Marvolo Riddle, he was obsessed with becoming immortal, never dying. To do this he broke his soul into several pieces and put some of the pieces into special containers; these containers are called Horcruxes. For his own reasons, he used objects associated with the Hogwarts founders, Helga Hufflepuffs cup, Rowena Ravenclaws diadem, Salazar Slytherins locket. There was also a ring owned by the last descendants of Slytherin, a diary in which he told his part in an incident at the school over 50 years ago." Ginny gasped at this last revelation and looked at Harry who saw her and nodded.

"These five objects and his pet snake were the containers he used. These all had to be destroyed before he could die. When he tried to kill me as a baby, his soul was so fragile that part of it split off and attached itself to the only living thing in the room; me. His body was recovered and burned by the wizard authorities, who thought this was the end, but it wasn't; because of his Horcruxes, his soul didn't leave to its ultimate fate whatever that is. It hung around because it was anchored by the other pieces. We hunted and destroyed the last few Horcruxes that year you were in hiding. The snake was the last but one, I received news through Snape's memories that I was the seventh horcrux and I had to die by Voldemort's hand. If anyone else had attacked me with the killing curse I would have died properly, but as it was, Voldemort killed the piece of his own soul, my own was untouched. I was still alive, his dark magic spells were prevented from working properly on me because of my mother's protection, and because I had been willing to die for everyone else, they were protected because of what I had done."

"He used Avada Kedavra on you again and you survived again?" gulped Ginny.

"Yes, and it's partly because of that and another incident that a lot of the wizard world thinks I'm unkillable, but I said no interruptions. Where was I?... oh yes I was lying stunned on the ground and Voldemort ordered Narcissa Malfoy to check I was dead, she lied for reasons of her own. Voldemort and his cronies brought my body back to the castle, while he was torturing Neville I rolled into my cape and out of Hagrid's arms, and then Neville killed the snake. I revealed myself and defeated Voldemort by disarming him, causing his own death as his spell rebounded on him half-cast, killing him for good this time. If I hadn't been living under the protection of my mother's blood all my life, been adopted by any wizard family, I wouldn't have survived to adulthood, some Death Eater or other would have found me and killed me. Voldemort would have eventually risen to power, but this time, unstoppable. So, you see, I understand why it was done. I didn't particularly like it, but in a way I appreciate it now, because now I have the family I should have had all those years, or near enough."

"Bloody hell Harry, I didn't know a lot of that," said Ron, looking awestruck. Ginny was trying very hard to hold back tears. Mrs. Weasley walked into the lounge, something red under her arm and slapped Ron about the back of the head.

"Language, Ronald," she handed me the red something from under her arm. "Here Dudley, just a little something to say thank you for saving Harry's life!"

Ron looked incredulously at me as I shook open the red something to reveal a hand knitted sweater, on the front was a shield and if you looked closely at it, the shield could be seen as a cleverly disguised mobile phone. I quickly pulled the jumper over my head and straightened it up. It fit perfectly. I got up to give Mrs. Weasley a hug. "Thank you, this is brilliant!"

"Oh! It's nothing dear! Just a jumper!" said Mrs. Weasley blushing.

"I don't believe it!" said Ron, "you've got a Weasley jumper, that's almost a formal certificate of adoption to the family."

Harry laughed at this, "I remember the first Christmas at Hogwarts, and I got presents, real presents for the first time in my life. One of them was a jumper, knitted by Ron's mom," Mrs. Weasley looked aside at Harry, "sorry by Molly. It meant so much to me. I still get one every Christmas, always the same blue colour. It feels the same every year as if I'm part of a family. That's why the jumper your Mum knitted for me means such a lot." He straightened the jumper he was wearing, it was the one knitted for him by Mum, the broomstick clearly visible on the chest.

"I wish I'd brought my camera, Mum would love to see you in the jumper she'd knitted for you. It would mean a lot to her."

Mrs. Weasley shot off and returned with a camera that looked like it belonged in a museum. She quickly snapped a picture of Harry, the flash coming from a bar that she held in her other hand. "Let me get one of the two of you together," she said tapping the bar with her wand. I went to stand beside Harry and she picked the camera off the table again and 'flash' she took another photo. I walked over to her and whispered in her ear. "Of course dear! Let me think a moment. it's a pity we didn't think of this yesterday when everyone was here, but the boys went home early this morning after seeing the new year in, and Arthur's had to pop into work."

She waved her wand and the camera floated up to eye height, "alright everyone together." We all crowded together, Harry and Ginny next to each other, Mrs. Weasley next to them, and Ron and myself at the back. The camera flashed and then floated down to the table again. "I'll send those pictures by owl in a few days when they're developed, don't worry, I'll make sure they arrive in the middle of the day when you Dad's at work."

"thank you, Mum asked me about the girl Harry was getting engaged to, I could only tell her so much; that she was an attractive red head and the little about her family I could recall from memory, but a picture means so much more.

"Oh, I quite agree dear! Now would any one like some lunch? It won't take long," and she was off into the kitchen.

Back at home later that day after my 'long, tiring' drive back from my friends house, which in reality had been using the floo to Mrs. Figg's and driving the two streets back home; I was seated in the lounge with Mum and Dad relating to them all about the time I'd spent with Harry's new family, with no reference to magic because of Dad. I don't know if he was suspicious or anything, but he did keep giving me the occasional funny look when I mentioned some names. I referred to Harry throughout our little chat as 'Gary', he didn't seem to react in any way to this name, but Ron and George seemed to cause him to look as if he were trying to remember something, but for the most part I think he was clueless as to where I'd really been.

I was in my room working on an assignment that had to be handed in when I returned after the holidays when there was a knock at my bedroom door, and I called out for them to come in. It was Mum eager for more detailed news. Dad having taken himself off to bed, pleading lingering tiredness from the night before. I showed Mum the jumper I'd been given by Mrs. Weasley and explained the reason behind the picture and told her to expect some wizard photos soon from her when Dad was at work.

She was delighted to hear that Harry had liked the jumper she had knitted for him and pressed me for anything more I could tell her about the Weasley's and Ginny in particular. She wanted to know everything she could about her future in-laws. "I remember him having a lot of red haired friends whenever we picked him up, is it the same family? There did always seem to be an awful lot of them."

"it's the same family, Ron was the first friend Harry met on the Hogwarts express, Ginny is his little sister, they've been friends ever since. He even accompanied Harry on his travels the year we were in hiding." I then told her something if what I understood about the horcrux things that Harry had related to me, I left out the bit about him being one though; I didn't understand it completely myself that much.

This all took about an hour after which I went on to finish the assignment for college and climbed into bed myself.

We had not received any owl post from Mrs. Weasley by the time I returned to college but Mum said she would phone me and let me know when she received them and gave me a kiss as I headed back to university with all clean clothes in my baggage instead of the dirty laundry I'd arrived with.

It had been an interesting holiday season and I could hardly wait for the next time Harry and I met up...

Please review: I really appreciate the reviews I get, and they mean a lot to me. I don't often respond personally to reviews as this means time spent away from my fiction, but everyone of you gets my heartfelt thanks.


	6. Chapter 6

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think, slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 6: Invitations and Requests.

I didn't hear from Harry during the first couple of months of 2002 for which I was grateful, the pressure of final exams was coming up, and although I knew my subject I still hated exams. The photos from Mrs. Weasley arrived a couple of days after I had returned to college and Mum had been on the phone to me for hours that evening talking about how handsome harry had looked, and what a pretty girl Ginny was, I was glad when the battery on my mobile phone died.

I was getting ready to head home for the Easter break, after which it was the end of set classes, I just had a final assignment to complete and then it was revision all the way until the exams. I got a call from downstairs; there was someone at the front door for me, an officer of the law or something. Was I in trouble or something?

I ran down the stairs, why were the police calling for me? What had I done wrong? I couldn't think of anything, I knew the tax and insurance on my car was valid, I hadn't been speeding, so why were the police calling for me? The door was closed when I made it down to the hall, but there were voices coming from the lounge, I entered warily. What had I done wrong?

My housemates were all sat down talking to someone with his back to me. As I entered the room, he stood up and turned to face me, "hi Dudley, what's up?"

"Harry, what are you doing here?" my housemates looked at me. "This is my cousin, but what are doing telling them you're a police officer? They and you had me convinced I was in trouble or something."

"Sorry, I couldn't resist, but I wasn't joking about being an officer of the law, c'mon lets go talk in private." He followed me back to my room, and I made space amidst the junk on my bed for him to sit. "I am an officer of the law, Magical Law Enforcement, technically an Auror, but I've occasionally worked with Scotland Yard and Interpol. The real reason I was here is to give you these," he handed me two pieces of stiff parchment. I looked at the top one in my hand:

_Molly and Arthur Weasley_

_Cordially invite Dudley Dursley to celebrate the marriage of_

_Harry James Potter_

_And_

_Ginevra Molly Weasley _

_3rd August 2002_

_We hope you will be able to attend this joyous occasion._

_We will await your owl no later than June 11th._

"You'll need to keep the invitation, it's a portkey to the location of the wedding, and we don't want reporters turning up on the day uninvited."

I looked at the invitation underneath; it was addressed to not only Mum, but Mum and Dad. "Are you sure? Both of them? I can understand Mum, but Dad?"

"I can't invite one without the other, besides if you dad doesn't want to come, he can stay at home like he made me do when we were kids, I won't make him stay with Mrs. Figg though, she can't stand him."

"Very funny, but the first thing Dad is gonna do when he sees this is tear it into pieces and burn them. Even if Mum wants to come he'll make sure she can't." Harry took Mum and Dad's invitation from me and tore it into little pieces, tapped the pieces with his wand and they burst into flames in his hand. "Great, now neither of them can come, so mature Harry."

He raised his eyebrows and nodded towards the hand holding my invitation, huh, there were two invitations again. "The only people who can cause the invitations to be destroyed are Molly and Arthur when you reply in the negative. Nothing else can do it, so whatever your Dad's actions, your Mum will be able to attend if she wishes."

"Err, what's the dress code? I've seen some wizard clothing and it looks like the men are in dresses. I don't quite fancy that!"

"Well, for your Mum and Dad it will be formal Muggle wear, although they can wear dress robes if they wish, but I've got something else in mind for you!"

"What do you mean? You've got something else in mind for me? I think I'm getting a little worried here."

"It's not that bad, but you will need to wear wizard dress robes, but you can wear normal clothes underneath."

"Why? What's the reason for this?"

"Just give me a minute and I'll tell you! I have a special job for you at the wedding." I gulped; I hoped it was nothing too bad. "I want you to be my best man!"

"What? You're joking? Right? What about Ron? Your best friend in school, I thought he would be your best man, I haven't exactly been a good friend to you for most of our lives, I'm honoured but I don't see your reasoning."

"Well, I have to admit Ron was going to be my first choice, but he and his girlfriend, Hermione, suggested you for perfectly good reasons, which I happen to agree with!"

"What are these good reasons? I want to know. It seems to me that Ron would be the better choice."

"Ok! I'll try to explain. A lot of the wizard world is aware of my past with your family, and they have reason to not like the name Dursley, this would be one step to making them see that for myself I've forgiven you. On top of that, you've proven yourself to be very adept at getting along in the wizard community. Kingsley has made it known that the ID card was your idea, and some Muggleborns parents are grateful to you for the interaction they can know have with our world."

"Bloody hell Harry, you make me sound like some sort of hero! I'm just someone who doesn't want to lose touch with the one person who saved my life, who happens to be my cousin, whom I was an utter rotter to all our lives until that day."

"True, but I've seen that utter rotters can change, or at least have some ulterior motive behind their actions. Professor Snape was the best example; he spent my whole school career making my life hell. I couldn't do anything right in his lessons, no Gryffindor could. He was always deducting points from our house for no reason apparent to us. But, in some strange way, I think I understand him, if circumstances had been slightly different, he could have been my Dad."

"Huh! You've lost me completely now!"

"He was the first wizard my Mum ever met and right through the school days they were almost inseparable, despite being in different houses. He was Slytherin, Mum was Gryffindor..."

"So. It was getting back at your Mum that made him take it out on you?"

"Not entirely. From what I understand he always showed himself as very prejudiced against Muggleborns and half bloods, but he was half-blood himself. A lot of it was an act, not for our benefit, but for the Death Eaters. In his sixth year he made the mistake of calling my Mum a mudblood, that's an insulting way of referring to a muggleborns dirty blood. She broke all ties with him then, would have nothing more to do with him. She started to go out with James Potter, a fellow Gryffindor, in her seventh year, and well the rest is history. Snape also had his own issues with my Dad. He joined Voldemort because it was expected of him, but when he found out some of his plans, he deserted, but stayed on at great risk to his life to spy for our side. In the end he died for those beliefs. He kept vital information from Voldemort that could have stopped me from winning in the end."

"What information?"

"I told you the last time I saw you about how Voldemort killed me, but I survived, if anyone else had used the curse on me I would have been completely dead. Snape was in his own way aware of some of the reasoning behind this, though not all of it. If he had told Voldemort that I was a horcrux, he never would have killed me. That episode and the one last year when that mobile phone saved my life has got be a bit of a reputation of being immune to the killing curse. It has some good effects on certain people when I go after them, they don't bother trying to kill me, and they just surrender. Certainly helps my arrest rate." He laughed.

"Ok, I can see your reasoning for making me your best man, and I would be honoured to accept. But what am I going to have to wear, please tell me it's not some bloody wizard dress. I refuse to wear a dress; even if you do call it robes."

"It won't be that bad. You'll need dress robes, but the style is not that different from what teachers and professors wear at graduation ceremonies. Yours will need to be a nice conservative grey, you are related to me, the groom, and that's what I'll be in. And as I said you can wear normal clothes underneath."

"Ok! I can live with that, where do I get these robes? Diagon Alley I presume?"

"Yes, Madam Malkin's, they're the outfitters we've chosen. I can have Ron go with you if you want, but they have been told to expect you."

"So sure, I'd accept your offer then?"

"Not completely, but I was sure I could convince you eventually. Oh I'd better give you this as well," he handed me another piece of parchment, with two telephone numbers on it. "The first is the new telephone number for the Ministry of Magic with my extension on it. The second is my home number; I needn't tell you that that number is secret. Your mum will be able to read it from that piece of parchment, but not from your mobile phone if you store it in that."

"What will happen if you call me then, I mean if it's that secret? Will my phone tell me who's calling?"

"Of course, but if you or anybody tried to read the number off your phone they wouldn't be able to read the number just the name."

"Right, ok!" I entered both numbers onto my phone and put it back in my pocket. "Well you know for definite that I'll be attending your wedding. But, how will Mum reply, we don't have an owl and I don't think there's a wizard location in Little Whinging that we can send a reply from."

"You can do it one of two ways, speak to Mrs. Figg, we got her an owl of her own, or telephone me, and I'll pass it on. There are a couple of other muggleborns and their parents attending, so you won't be the only ones responding that way."

"I think I know how Mum will want to reply, you'd better clear a day in your schedule, and she'll keep you on the phone for hours. I only managed to get off the phone to her when those photos arrived because the battery on my phone died. Nearly three hours she was talking about them, so I'm warning you now."

"Thanks! I'll remember to have some reason to cut the call short if I need it."

"What are your plans now though, surely you didn't come all the way from London, just to give me the invitations. I'm flattered, but, it seems an awful long way."

"It wasn't that far, I've only walked 200 yards from the end of your road."

"Bloody wizards, idle buggers the lot of you!" he gave me a funny look, his eyebrows raised so high they were almost lost in his hair. "oh, come off it Harry, I've tasted Mrs. Weasley's cooking, so you don't go hungry, and if you're going to pop from one doorstep to the other, you'll be the size of the old me before long. One pig in a wig in the family is bad enough!"

He had the decency to wince, "where did you hear that? I've never called you that in your presence and it's not true anymore?"

"I don't think I should tell you, it might get someone in trouble. Not my style anymore."

"C'mon Dudley, I'm not gonna arrest them or anything, I mean, it wasn't a nice thing for me to say, but, unfortunately, at the time it was sort of true."

"Dunno, maybe whale in a wig would have been more appropriate, I was bloody fat! I heard it from Hannah Abbott at Justin's birthday party; apparently she'd heard it from Luna Lovegood is it?"

"Yeah," he sighed, "that's just the sort of thing Luna would remember, she's a little odd, I suppose you should say; if you wanted to be kind."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Her Dad runs a paper called the Quibbler, a bit of a joke in some wizard circles; bit like those newspapers that run stories about aliens and stuff. She used to be called Loony at school."

"I read a couple of those, but they seemed like more sense than the Prophet at the time, there was even an old one that had an interview with you."

"That was their best selling issue, which was in my fifth year. Where did you find a copy?"

"Tinworth library, but we're going round the subject here. What are we going to do about you becoming a pig in a wig yourself?"

"It's not that bad is it? Molly's cooking is a lot healthier than the stuff I had to cook at your house and there's no sugary pop to add more calories."

"Not yet! But take it from one who knows, stopping the weight from going on in the first place is a lot easier than getting it off. I spent bloody hours in the gym on treadmills and weight machines, getting rid of the pounds of lard I was carrying, then building up some proper muscle. I still go to the gym at least twice a week and run a couple of miles most nights. I've even did a half marathon for charity in my second year at University."

"Ok! Ok! I get it. Now what do you think I should do?"

"Joining a gym is your best bet. That way you can have friends there to motivate you as well, but be careful you don't get in with the muscle is everything type. They're the ones who use drugs to pile on more and more muscle. You don't want that, just to keep fit."

"Fine I'll look for a gym near my house, there's got to be one in the area."

Then I had an idea, I wondered if he would go for it. "Listen Harry, you can get anywhere you want by apparating right? Could you apparate to Little Whinging, it's not as far as here from London? The old baths where the local primary school used to take us for swimming lessons, it's now a gym. Do you think you could get there?"

"I think so. You seem to forget, your parent's never signed the permission slip for me to go there, and I was always left at school when you went swimming. Best two hours of the week for me."

"Err! Sorry! Forgot that bit. But do you think you could make it about ten on Sunday? You could come as a guest on my membership for the day and we could join you up."

"Seems a funny time to be going, Sunday morning; what's your reasoning behind that?"

"Well lately when I've been home on a weekend I've noticed that Mum has been getting the bus to town on a Sunday and taking part in some sort of swimming / exercise class at the gym. Well maybe, this week I could drive her there and go to the gym myself and possibly..." I left the statement hanging and looked at him.

"You're positive we won't see your Dad, your Mum was not that nice to me, but he gave me a few 'thick ears' to many to forget."

"He never gets up before ten on Sunday and then sits downstairs reading the papers till Mum serves him dinner, then doesn't move again till tea time. Heart attack waiting to happen, him."

"Ok, it's a plan, what will I need?" I told him what clothes he would need for our exercise session and what else he would need and our plans were made for the following Sunday. By this time, it was getting quite late and Harry wanted to get home, Kreacher was cooking something for him, and was almost as unforgiving as my Dad when Harry used to burn the bacon, when we were younger. I walked with Harry to the end of the road where he apparated back to London, packed the car and set off back to Little Whinging with the news...

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Look out for the next chapter: Cafes and Pubs


	7. Chapter 7

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think, slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 7 Cafes and Pubs.

I was home for Easter and most likely for good. I just had revision for my final exams in a couple of months and then it was out into the wild world of work. My tutor was confident I'd get a good grade. I was already getting ready to apply for positions for when I got my results. I was hopefully going to work somewhere where I didn't have to live with Mum and Dad. I enjoyed the time I spent with them, but I enjoyed my independence just as much.

I had already spoken to Mum about going with her to the gym on Sunday, I needed to keep myself fit after all. She was pleased with the prospect of not having to spend nearly an hour on the bus, and saw no duplicity in my going with her.

I hadn't had chance to speak to her about the wedding yet or the fact that I'd got their invitation in my bag. That would have to wait until Dad was not around. Harry might think, he could invite him, but I thought there was no chance he'd go.

Sunday morning came and I drove Mum to the gym, she went off to get changed and I waited a few minutes for Harry to arrive. There was a loud CRACK from outside and Harry walked in through the main doors of the gym, carrying what looked like a perfectly normal gym bag. "I see; going undercover as a normal muggle are we?"

He looked at me, with my bag, exactly the same make as the one he was carrying. "Sorry, but I can take no credit for it. Ginny got the bag for me. Said if I was going to get fit I was going to do it properly. So it looks like you might have a gym partner, for more than just today."

"What have I let myself in for," I grinned, "come on, I'll show you where to go!"

Later after our workout's Harry and I were waiting in the cafe for Mum. I was sitting facing the door and Harry had his back to the door so Mum wouldn't be aware of who it was at first. One thing, that might give her some clue, was the jumper he was wearing, then again, maybe not, it was fairly ordinary looking from the back, just a normal grey jumper. I looked through the observation window of the cafe and just saw Mum starting up the stairs to join us, or me as she thought. "Dudley, are you going to introduce me to your friend?"

"I shouldn't need any introduction! You should know who I am." For a moment, Mum looked confused at this person sat with his back to her addressing her in this way. He stood up and turned around, "hello Aunt Petunia." The look on her face was one of complete shock. If we were not careful here, she was going to faint on us.

"Harry! Oh! You look well!" she looked down at her feet, "I hear you're getting married. To a nice girl I hope?" she looked up at Harry again. "Have you set a date, yet?"

"Err Mum!" she looked at me. "I've got your invitation at home. I'll give it to you when we get back." She looked at me again and nodded, swallowing hard.

"I'm sorry, Harry, I..."

"AUNT PETUNIA!" she shut up and looked at Harry, "I've forgiven you in my way, and we don't need to go through that again. I understand why you felt how you did and I understand something of how you got round it." Mum sniffed and looked at Harry through her tears. "I knew nothing about my Mum and Dad either; I was in Godric's Hollow on Christmas Eve, that year you were in hiding. I didn't have any real memories of them; I'd heard things about them from school friends, but knew nothing for myself, I saw the house where they'd died, where I was orphaned" he sniffed and wiped tears from his own eyes. "I saw the memorial, the same as you did, and it helped put some substance to the few things I knew."

Harry stopped and again wiped the tears from his eyes. Mum gave a cry and grabbed Harry in her arms, patting him on the back as he cried at the memories they both shared. Eventually the pair of them had cried themselves out in each other's arms and were sitting next to each other at one of the tables in the cafe. I got up and bought three cups of coffee from the machine and we all sat there looking uncomfortable.

"Aunt Petunia, I've given Dudley your invitation to the wedding, but there's something else you should know about the ceremony." Mum looked at him with a concerned look in her eyes, what did he mean? "I've asked Dudley to be my best man at the wedding, it means he'll have to wear dress robes, but I think he'll be able to cope."

Mum looked at me and at Harry, "where will he have to go to get these robes, I know Lily went somewhere to get her school stuff, but I can't remember where it was. Would I have to wear robes?" she sniffed again and wiped at her eyes, but this time she was smiling.

"You won't have to wear dress robes if you don't want to. You can wear what you like. Dudley will be wearing normal clothes under his robes." Mum looked almost disappointed at this piece of news.

"I think I should, I don't want to look out of place."

"You won't, there will be others not in robes."

"Who? I'm sorry with the way I treated you, the families round here, all think you were some kind of criminal. I wouldn't think you knew that many normal people."

Harry looked at her, obviously concerned, "what do you mean normal?"

"Well obviously non magical people, what do you call us?"

"Err! Muggles, remember Hagrid called you muggles the night he picked me up, all those years ago from that ridiculous hut. And I know some people from Little Whinging who didn't believe your story about me! There's Mrs. Figg for one!"

"She's a witch; I always thought she was just an eccentric old lady, though she was the only person who'd look after you when you were younger. We would dump you on her whenever we treated Dudley."

"She helped me get Dudley home the night we were attacked by those dementors. I found out that night she was a squib, born to magical parents, but no magical talent of her own. She's a bit more connected to our world now; our world is starting to look at people like her in a different light."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Have you never wondered where my Mum got her magic from? You could have been related to our world in you past, you could possibly have a squib in your ancestry. We don't know for certain how Muggleborn witches like my Mum happen. It could be ancestry or just random, but now we're looking into it."

"Oh right, I see! I'll have to speak to Mrs. Figg, find out a few things about your world. I would like to wear robes at your wedding though!" she grinned. "I never got the chance when I was younger, I so wanted to go to Hogwarts, this will be my chance to connect in some way to Lily at your wedding."

Harry tutted at this, "oh dear, my aunt wants to play dress up at her nephew's wedding." He was grinning from ear to ear as he said this, and then looked deep in thought for a moment. "I have an idea that will show you something of what your sister had and let you into our world for yourself. I'll come and collect you both from yours a week before Dudley's birthday and take you into Diagon Alley. Dudley has already been there, but you haven't, we can show you around and you can get fitted for robes then. How does that sound? You can also meet Ginny and a couple of her brothers."

The look on her face was a picture. I knew that the idea appealed to her. Her last real interaction with the wizard world had been three years ago when she caught the Knight Bus to Godric's Hollow and she was so touched by what she had seen there, it had been an epiphany for her. "I would like that very much, thank you Harry. It would be so nice to meet your fiancé before the wedding, and get to know some of her family beforehand. I wouldn't feel so out of place; just knowing Dudley and you."

"Ok! I'll telephone you nearer the date to confirm it all and make proper plans, but I must be going now or I'll never make it to the ceremony! Mum looked concerned at this statement and Harry grinned. "I'm going to undo all the good I've just done at the gym today and have dinner with Ginny and her family today, Molly will never forgive me if I'm late." He kissed Mum on the cheek, stood up, collected his bag and with a quick glance to see that we were unobserved, he turned on the spot and apparated home with a loud crack.

Mum gave a start and dropped her coffee, splashing me, so it looked like I'd wet my trousers. Luckily the coffee was cold, so it did no damage except to my dignity. "Oops! Sorry Dudley, but I've never seen it before. I remember when we apparated to and from Tinworth, but that's not quite the same." With that we both got up and made our way to my car for the journey home, me carrying my bag in such a way as to hide the embarrassing stain on my trousers.

Back at home, the atmosphere settled back to normal over the next few weeks, Mum was quite excited about the prospect of seeing Diagon Alley to get a fitting for wizard robes, and we talked a lot about the shops she would see and the people she would meet. All this whenever Dad was out of the house though. Mum seemed to be of the opinion that he might be persuaded to go to the wedding. I didn't think so, but who could tell, she might be right. Miracles do happen.

It was on a Friday in the beginning of June when Harrry phoned to make arrangements for our trip to London. I was home for a long weekend, I had had an exam on Thursday and my next wasn't until the following Wednesday, the last of my exams. we made arrangements for harry to come and collect us that Monday morning and take us both to get our robes for the wedding. Dad was a little curious about our sudden trip to London, but accepted Mum's explanation that we were going shopping for my birthday would be just under a week away by the Monday.

We were both seated in Mrs. figg's lounge drinking tea served to us by Mr. tibbles, her house elf when there was a knock at the back door. mum had become quite friendly with Mrs. figg over the last few weeks after learning about her connection to Harry's world and in circumstances similar to mine had learned a lot from her about the recent history of the magical world.

Mrs. figg opened the door for us to see no one there, but she moved aside as if letting someone in and closed the door again. Suddenly Harry was standing in the kitchen with a broomstick under his arm, folding something light and silvery up in his hands. "sorry, it was a bit far to apparate from where I was, and there were no floo connections either." He pulled a small rather tatty looking bag from his pocket and shoved the broomstick into it and placed it back in his pocket. Mum and I just looked in amazement at this feat. Harry noticing our incredulity, muttered "undetectable extension charm," whatever that meant, under his breath and greeted us all warmly.

Refusing the offer of a cup of tea, he reached towards the mantlepiece and checked a small pot there. Reassured there was enough for our needs, "I'll bring you some more back when we return," he said to Mrs. figg. he handed the pot to me and just said The Leaky Cauldron. I tossed the powder into the fire place and was off.

I stumbled out of the fireplace to be handed a clothes brush by the familiar face of Hannah, "good grief, Tom's not on holiday still is he?"

"no, he's out the back but I've got a regular job here now." We chatted together amiably for a few minutes while I waited patientky for Mum to appear.

After what must have been a least five minutes she stumbled out of the fireplace, looking slightly dizzy to be handed the brush by Hannah, Harry followed immediately behind. "sorry, your Mum was a little apprehensive about using the floo, I forgot she'd never seen it before, she was quite convinced I'd burnt you to a crisp for a couple of minutes."

Mum had the decency to look embarrassed at this. She looked at our surroundings. "where are we exactly?"

"the Leaky Cauldron pub, on the Charing Cross Road, it's famous in the wizarding world. Come on, let's go shopping." Harry led us out the back entrance to the small enclosed courtyard that was the entrance to Diagon Alley and got his wand out to create the doorway. I coughed and got my card out, looked at him and Mum. He grinned at me, seeing what I'd got in mind and I counted bricks to find the correct one and tapped it with my card.

Mum had a look of almost girlish glee on her face as the wall slowly open to show the alley behind. I could almost see in her eyes the young girl who had wriiten to Hogwarts begging to be let in as a student all those years ago, nnow she would finally see part of that dream come true...

Please review and give me your feedback on my fiction. Good, bad, what do you think of it so far. All opinions appreciated.


	8. Chapter 8

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think, slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 8: Rollercoaster's And Robes

Mum, Harry and I walked into Diagon Alley; Mum had a strange look in her eye, like a child that had just been given the keys to a sweetshop. Her eyes were everywhere, the wand shop, the apothecary, the bookstore, they couldn't move fast enough to take it all in. The look on her face was one of absolute pleasure at being where she was.

"We'll need to go to Gringotts to change some money first," I said, "I've only got Muggle money on me."

"There's a bank in here, where? Harry and I pointed to the tall white building in the distance.

"Gringotts, the wizard's bank, run by goblins, no safer place to keep something safe, except Hogwarts."

Mum was staring at the Gringotts building as if it were the best ride in the fairground and she was at the front of the queue. We made our way through the two sets of double doors and past the goblins guarding them, Mum looking at them in fascination. "This is amazing; I've always wanted to see this. I remember Lily talking about the goblin bank where she would change her money. Where do you go to change yours Dudley?"

"Actually Mum, I'm not going to change any money, I've got my own account here," I looked at the small key I had been given last time I was here. "Vault number 711."

Harry gave a start at this, "711, that was Sirius' vault, I suppose after his will made me his sole beneficiary, its contents were transferred to mine, and it was empty when your account was opened."

By now we had reached the back of the bank and I presented my key to the goblin behind the desk, "very well, Mr. Dursley, Ragnar will take you to your vault." We followed the indicated goblin through the doors at the back and all climbed into the cart after him.

Mum had a huge grin on her face, "I've always loved rollercoasters, but I haven't been on one in years, your father always disapproved. He used to say they were for children and common people only, not company directors and their wives. I think I'm going to enjoy this." The cart started off on the tracks and rapidly gained speed and Mum was laughing as we sped along the rails, every twist and turn of the coaster had her whooping and laughing like a little girl. Both Harry and I watched her in amazement; this wasn't the Petunia Dursley we were used to. Several minutes later we pulled to a stop outside a huge metal door set into the stonework alongside the rails. We all climbed out of the cart and onto the platform in front of the vault. Ragnar took my key and locating a hidden keyhole, opened the door and showed me into my vault for the first time.

Mum stared at the piles of gold Galleons, silver Sickles and bronze Knuts in the vault, "this is all yours Dudley? Where did you get so much money from? And how do you have a Gringotts vault, I always thought it was just for wizards?"

I scooped some coins into a bag that I had brought with me for the purpose and we made our way back to the cart. I promised Mum I would tell her how I had a vault when we were outside the bank. The cart ride back to the surface was just as thrilling and once again Harry and I watched the girlish glee that Mum was showing.

We were outside the bank and Mum was still grinning like a schoolgirl. "That was brilliant; I never knew the magic world could be so much fun. Where are we going next?" Looking at the grin on her face, I pointed a location out to Harry and he grinned and nodded.

Walking into Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, we were greeted warmly by the portrait of Fred hanging on the wall; the look on Mum's face was priceless. "They talk?"

"What do you mean?" asked Harry looking at her.

"Picture's! I knew wizard photos moved, but talking pictures. This is marvellous."

"Hello Harry, Dudley," said a new voice from behind, "and I assume this must be Mrs. Dursley. I'm George Weasley." He held out his hand to Mum and she shook it warmly.

"So you're Harry's future brother-in-law. I'm so pleased to meet you."

"Oi Lugless! What am I, dragon dung," yelled Fred from his portrait.

Mum glowered at the portrait, "no, you're a picture of what I think may be Fred Weasley, and you're still as obnoxious as the last time I saw you! What do you mean by calling your brother Lugless? That sounds insulting to me!"

The look on the face of the portrait was one of absolute amazement. "You remember when we met? I would have thought you would have forgotten that?"

"If you mean when you arrived to collect Harry for the Quidditch World Cup, blew the wall out of my lounge and nearly killed Dudley by giving him a tongue as big as he was, then no, I haven't forgotten."|

George burst into laughter at this, "no I suppose you wouldn't forget at that!" He pulled his hair back to show the side of his head, where a slightly deformed looking ear showed. "This is why he called me Lugless, it was cursed off the night we collected Harry from your house. It couldn't be grown back, so I went to a plastic surgeon on Dudley's advice and he did this for me. But it's still Fred's favourite way of getting my attention."

"Oh! I see!" George proceeded to show Mum round the shop and her girlish grin reappeared and grew wider and wider as she saw each new joke in the shop. "Oh! I wish I had the nerve to try these on your Dad, Dudley, he's such a boring old fart these days." I laughed at the prospect of Mum giving Dad some nosebleed nougat or puking pastilles, but unfortunately she didn't purchase any of the aforementioned items.

Her gaze lingered on the stand showing the Patented Daydream Charms and she looked for several minutes trying to find one in particular. Finally disappointed, she looked away from the stand and sighed. "What were you looking for Mrs. Dursley? Have we not got what you want in our range?"

"I always wanted to go to Hogwarts when Lily did? I wanted to study Magic too."

George looked thoughtful for a while. "It could be done, leave it with us. We'll work on it and send you one of the first as a thank you for a new daydream idea. I'm sure more muggle relatives will want the same daydream.

Mum clapped and gave George a kiss on the cheek, a huge grin on her face, "Oh thank you!"

"What's this, getting strange women to kiss you at work? Said a new voice from the back of the shop, "can I get some of whatever you're using?"

"This is Ron," said Harry, "he was the first friend I made in the magic world. You'll have to forgive him. He usually only opens his mouth to change the foot he's got in it!"

Ron looked slightly hurt at this, "thanks for that Harry!"

Mum grinned at the conversation and went across and gave Ron a kiss on the cheek, "thank you for befriending Harry. I'm sure you were probably the first friend he had. I made sure he never had any when he lived with us. I'm afraid the stories we told about him must have discouraged it."

Ron looked embarrassed at this, slowly turning red, "he really made friends with me, I was just interested in him being a hero and celebrity at first."

"That's not true Ron, you were interested, sure, but you still the first friend I made. Even if we were both idiots at times."

"Thanks, for that." Said Ron seeming a little better at this revelation.

Harry looked at his watch, a curious affair with stars on the face instead of fingers. "Sorry George, Ron, but, we've got to go. We're meeting Ginny for dinner at the Leaky Cauldron. Come on Dudley, Aunt Petunia."

We made our way back down Diagon Alley to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch and our meeting with Ginny. We went back through the archway and into the pub. Ginny was sitting in the pub with a butterbeer. "Hello, you must be Harry's Fiancé!"

Ginny looked up and smiled at us, but with some hesitation in her eyes when she looked at Mum. "And you must be his Aunt Petunia, forgive me if I'm not that comfortable with you at the moment. I remember things my brothers told me about you!"

"I suppose I deserve that, we were despicable to him, but you accept that Dudley has changed, why not me?"

"I've seen how Dudley has changed, but I haven't seen anything to prove how you've changed."

"You mean apart from being in a wizard pub, talking to a witch, with a son who has just shown me his Gringotts vault."

"Harry's your nephew, not your son. You treated him worse than a slave when he lived with you. I can't believe yet that you've changed your relationship with him that much, that you can regard him as a son!"

"I've never seen Harry's vault at Gringotts, I mean Dudley showed me his vault!"

"What? Do you expect me to believe Dudley has a vault at the wizard bank?" I opened my wallet and handed her the key to my vault, which she looked at in utter amazement. "How? Why? How did you get an account at Gringotts? Why would the goblins let a Muggle open a bank account in their bank?"

"I didn't open it; the goblins opened it for me. I only found out about it the last time I was here with Harry. They opened it about two years ago on my behalf from what I understand."

Ginny looked even more confused than ever. "That sounds completely unlike goblins, I thought they hated wizards and as far as I knew Muggles were beneath contempt. No offence meant."

"Do you know how much a Galleon was worth in Muggle monetary terms?"

"I think I heard Hermione Granger say once, it was five pounds! Why?"

"That's what the goblins thought too. I pointed out that at two ounces of gold in each Galleon; each coin in their vaults was worth a lot more if they used them as collateral to invest in the muggle markets. I think it was very profitable for them, so I got payment for my services to them in the form of an account." I hadn't mentioned to Harry or anyone that I suspected that gold Galleons weren't exactly pure gold anymore. They felt the same, looked the same and as far as I could tell they weighed the same as the one I had had assayed by the jeweller two and a half years ago. That was secret between myself and the goblins.

Ginny now looked perplexed, "but how does that help the goblins? I still don't see why they'd reward you by opening an account for you!"

We continued to discuss this matter over dinner and I finally managed to get Ginny to understand that the goblins would invest any payments made to them for goblin made artefacts in the muggle markets and would make a profit on the transactions, that was one of the major reasons why the Goblin / Wizard relationship had improved. The profit they made was akin to being paid each time the item changed hands in a will. They had always thought that this was tantamount to theft on the part of wizards. Finally as we sat there having drinks after the meal she seemed to accept this, but did say she was going to speak to Bill about it, who still worked for Gringotts, as a curse breaker."

We were finishing the drinks we had had with our meal and Ginny and Mum were talking quietly to each other on one side of the table, occasionally one or the other would laugh or come up with some random comment of, "no," "really," or something equally as intriguing. Harry and I were talking about his work which I was finding fascinating, almost made me wish I'd gone into the police, but then again maybe not. I was determined to make use of the experiences I'd gained as an abuser / abused child, I believed what Dumbledore had said the time I saw him and, I had been abused by my parents in my own way, though I'd never tell them that.

Harry suddenly announced that it was time for us all to head to Madam Malkin's to get measured for our dress robes or we would be late getting back to Little Whinging and might arouse Dads suspicions. We all followed him from the leaky cauldron and back into Diagon Alley and the shop. Ginny and Mum made their way off to one side still deep in conversation, Harry and I off in the other direction. I looked at Harry and he grinned, "Wedding dress fitting as well!"

I'd never been fitted for anything before so it was quite interesting to see. The tape measure measuring me of its own accord and a quill scratching numbers on a pad suspended in the air. After a few minutes of this, the assistant took a look at the measurements on the pad and nodded to himself and went to a room at the back returning with what looked a complete bolt of grey cloth under his arm. He placed this on a counter and started reciting something, in some language I didn't understand and occasionally looking at the pad and saying some random number which from what I could see bore no relation to the numbers on the pad. I looked over a Harry, but he was just as perplexed as me.

After about four or five minutes of this, the roll of material unrolled and several pieces of material detached themselves and hung in the air in a random way. The assistant removed a wand from his robes, waved in some up and down motion and said "sutura!" The pieces flew quickly towards each other and assembled themselves together into what rapidly began to look like a complete garment. When all the pieces had been assembled, the robes settled over the assistants arm and he put his wand away.

"Very well, Mr. Dursley if you would put this on and we will check the first fit." He said handing the robes to me. I looked at Harry confused, I'd never put robes on in my life. Harry helped me on with what seemed like some sort of jacket that went down to the floor. There were no buttons or zippers to fasten it with, so it just hung open. The assistant nodded, "excellent, Mr. Dursley, now arms outstretched please!" again I followed his instructions and he went around, placing a pin here or there, touching the robes with his wand. "Very good, now arms by your side please!" I followed his instructions and again he went around placing pins in the robes at points that were a mystery to me.

I was totally bemused by this, he seemed to be sticking pins in places that as far as I could see, fitted perfectly, but in the end he seemed satisfied and took the robes off me. "Very well my Dursley, we can have those delivered to you by owl within the next week, will you be requiring anything else?"

I looked at Harry who thanked the assistant and said we needed nothing else but we would wait for my mother to be finished as well. We took a seat in the shop and waited for Mum and Ginny to finish.

Eventually they both emerged looking the best of friends, "I'll telephone Harry when I've found it and if he could send his owl to collect it..." said Mum to Ginny, suddenly noticing that we were waiting for them. "Oh, have you been waiting long for us?"

"Not really Mum, what's this about needing Harry's owl?"

"I've been telling Ginny about Muggle wedding customs, something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and she likes the idea. So I've decided to lend her a brooch your father gave me just after you were born Dudley, it's got pale blue sapphires in it the colour of your eyes; that takes care of borrowed or blue."

I grinned at Harry and he looked at me in a mystified manner. "don't let Mum meet your future mother-in-law, they'll be a nightmare!"

He sighed and shook his head, raising his eyebrows at the same time. "thanks for the warning, don't let your Mum know their address will you?" we continued to talk together about the possible consequences of Molly Weasley and Mum getting together and what trouble they could make for his wedding as we made our way back to the Leaky Cauldron and our floo home.

It had been a busy and interesting day, who could believe that Mum would laugh like a schoolgirl on a rollercoaster; that Ginny would allow Mum to lend her something for the wedding. All in all, we had had an enjoyable day with Harry and Ginny, preparing for the wedding. Whatever would come next...

author Note: I don't know if everyone will understand the reference about Ron, 'to put your foot in your mouth' is an English expression meaning to say something completely inappropriate.

Please review and let me know what you think. I appreciate all input from my readers.


	9. Chapter 9

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think, slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 9: Graduation Day Owls

Mum had sent the brooch to Ginny about a week after our fitting for our robes on the same day as the robes were delivered by a large owl from the robe shop. I had tried mine on and still couldn't see the point of all the pins the fitter had used, some had obviously been for buttons, but the rest were a mystery. The robes did fit well though; nothing like the dress I had been dreading. I hung them up and put them in the wardrobe, and more or less ignored them for now.

I received formal notification of my grades in mid July and the date of my graduation ceremony. I had apparently done quite well, passing my diploma and getting honours in the two elective subjects I had taken at the same time. I now had a Diploma in Social Work and a BA in Parapsychology and Metaphysics, the closest I could find to magic in the Muggle world. I couldn't do anything myself; but I had some sort of knowledge about it; albeit on spoon bending and cheating at dice, but it was something.

My graduation ceremony was on July 23rd, a Tuesday, and a month after my birthday, I was quite excited about the prospect. Mum and Dad were going to come to the university to see me get my degree. Mum was so proud, I could swear she might burst with her excitement, Dad was proud of me, but still disappointed that I wasn't going to work for him at Grunnings. He saw it as a betrayal of all that he held important, I saw it as a chance to be myself. I had received an owl from Harry to say he would be there to see my graduation, and this was good news, I wanted him to be proper part of my life and family. Pity Dad wouldn't agree.

I stood with the scroll of my degree in my hand, aware that somewhere in the crowd Dad was clicking away taking photographs of this moment. It would end up on the mantle with all the other pictures of me, but none of Harry. Mum still had the baby pictures of Harry in her special box along with the ones that had been taken at Christmas of Harry, his friends and me. She hadn't put any of these on display in fear that Dad would throw them in the fire the first chance he got. His attitude hadn't improved at all; in fact as his waistline had got bigger, his attitude had got worse. Any mention of magic, Harry or anything else about his world was likely to set him to chewing his moustache in a certain way and mumbling under his breath, his face going purple as he did so. He was never vocal about it to Mum or I, she had refused to allow him to speak about him unless he was respectful, but I was positive he would still speak to his cronies about his no good nephew.

As we left the great hall of the university I saw a familiar figure at the back of the crowd and pointed it out to Mum. Harry was here at my graduation. I motioned to Mum that I was going to speak to him and she nodded leading Dad off in another direction. I walked slowly through the crowd towards my cousin. "Thanks for being here; it means a lot to me!"

"Well I couldn't miss it really; I hear you did quite well. I wasn't even sure you could read when we were kids. I certainly never saw you with a book."

"Thanks! That shows me what you really thought of me. I suppose I deserved it though; and you're right I don't think I ever read a proper book while we were kids. Even at school I didn't bother that much. I was a total prat." I was violently pushed to one side and narrowly avoided hitting the floor.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here? It's all your fault that he's decided to become one of the interfering bloody busybodies isn't it? Admit it! Come on you did something to him that night we left, he was never the same afterwards, it was you and your unnatural freakiness." Dad came to a stop to find Harry's wand pointing at his face and he was slowly going white as a sheet. "Bloody unnatural freak," he murmured under his breath.

"I maybe a bloody unnatural freak in your opinion Uncle Vernon, but I have never done anything to you or Dudley," Harry replied his wand never wavering. "But I think I might make an exception in your case if you don't keep your ignorant bigoted opinions to yourself. I came here to see my cousin graduate; I did not come to be insulted by you. Dudley has tried his best to atone for his past mistakes with me, and I've forgiven him in my way, Aunt Petunia as well. I can understand their reasoning's behind their prejudices, but not you. You were an absolute bastard to me! You didn't have any reason to resent me when I was left on your doorstep. You just followed Aunt Petunia's lead that I was a freak. You never tried to find anything out about me or my world. You were and still are just an overweight bloated bigot, an abuser and a piss poor excuse for a human being. I really think the world would be better off without you!"

Dad was swallowing hard and looking like a fish out of water, his mouth opening and closing silently. "I... I..." he just stared at the wand in his face and shut up, still looking like a frightened rabbit.

"If you can't be civil to me or my friends don't bother saying anything at all! I'm not a frightened little boy living under your roof any more. I'm not forbidden from doing magic anymore. I'm sure if I cursed you in some way, my superiors would understand it. I would love to make you suffer the way you made me suffer all those years, but fortunately for you I'm a better person than you will ever be. Now bugger off and leave me to speak to Dudley in peace."

"Well I never! Such an ill mannered freak!" Harry swished his wand and made a jabbing motion, Dad was still mouthing away but no sound was coming from his mouth.

"Best thing that ever happened to him," Harry muttered to me. "Silencing charm! Only lasts for about half an hour! I was going to ask if I might take you out for a meal, sort of a celebration on your graduation and for your birthday, which unfortunately I missed. I was hot in pursuit of one of the last Death Eaters."

I looked for Mum's face in the crowd and beckoned her over. She gave Dad one sour look and turned to face us. "Sorry he just happened to turn and see you talking to Dudley; I hope he didn't give you too much trouble."

Harry turned and looked at Dad, "not too much, he played his mouth a bit, but I soon shut him up. Unfortunately it will only last about twenty more minutes. I was just saying to Dudley I was going to ask if I could take you out for a meal, but I don't think uncle Vernon would like to be seen in the presence of an unnatural freak like me."

I looked at Mum who nodded at me, "we'd love to go for a meal with you, I just don't know how we'll get back from here though. Dad can drive home, but you'd have to apparate us back." Mum looked slightly dubious at the idea of apparition; I had to admit it wasn't my favourite mode of travel.

"I don't think that'll be necessary, are you insured to drive his car?" I nodded and Harry grinned, he waved his wand at Dad who gulped and swallowed. His belt buckle glowed blue and he was gone. "Oops! I hope you've got the car keys! Your Dad is now backing at home in the lounge. I do hope you haven't rearranged the furniture or you may have to dig him out of the sofa."

Mum sniggered and reached into her bag and rattled the car keys. "No, the lounge hasn't changed that much, except the wallpaper and a couple of new photos on the mantle."

"Oh well! Can't have everything I suppose. Now Dudley you studied in this town, where can we go to eat, not the local chippy though. I fancy somewhere proper where we can sit down, talk and eat like civilised human beings."

I thought about this and finally after consulting them both about their preferences we decided in a local Indian restaurant that I had been to a couple of times while I was studying. We got into the car and I drove to the street the restaurant was in.

We spent a nice time talking to each other over a very good meal, about my future career prospects. I'd received a couple of letters back from some health authorities, not hiring at the moment, but keep me in mind, that sort of thing. The usual problem with graduates I had heard about, qualified but no experience. Harry seemed to be a little amused at this, but wished me luck finding a job. We all thoroughly enjoyed the evening and each other's company; it was getting late when Mum and I started our Journey back home.

When we finally arrived home and got out of the car, there was a hoot from above and an owl landed on the car roof holding its leg out. I took the envelope from its leg and it took off into the night. The envelope was addressed plainly enough:

_Mr. D. Dursley_

_4 Privet Drive_

_Little Whinging_

_Surrey_

Mum looked at me, "well I suppose you'd better open it, but why Harry couldn't tell you whatever it was when we were out I don't know."

I took the letter and went inside, Dad was sat glowering from the sofa, "well it's about bloody time. I'm starving, what are you going to do about it Petunia? You spend most of the night with your freaky nephew and leave me here to starve."

Mum walked over to Dad and slapped him hard across the face. "Vernon, I've told you before you will never speak about Harry in that tone of voice or manner around me again! Now Dudley and I have eaten, I assumed you would have done something for yourself, but I should have realised how bloody useless you are in the kitchen. 25 years of marriage and you don't even know how to make a cup of tea; well unless you do something for yourself you can bloody well starve for all I care." She walked out of the lounge and up the stairs leaving Dad looking shocked in the lounge. I followed her upstairs and into her bedroom as she sat down heavily on the bed.

"Are you alright Mum? I've never seen you this angry before!" I sat down on the bed next to her. She looked hard at me, tears in her eyes and nodded.

I got up to leave, and she looked up, "What was in your letter Dudley? What does Harry want that he couldn't tell us about in Bristol?"

I sat back down on the bed and took the envelope from my pocket

**S**ociety for **P**romotion of **E**lvish **W**elfare **G**iant **P**roblem Solutions

**G**oblin **L**iaison **O**ffice **M**uggle **R**elatives **S**upport **A**gency

Dear Mr. Dursley,

After reviewing the results forwarded to us by the University at our request, we would like to offer you a position at the Ministry as the first social worker in the Ministry of Magic's history. Your department would be yours to staff as you see fit, under the auspices of ministry regulations.

Your area of work would be diverse, dealing with everything from house elves to muggle relatives. I understand from talking with acquaintances' and friends of yours that you have some experience in these areas and your continued help would be much appreciated.

I would like you to invite you to attend a job interview at the Ministry on Monday 5th August at 11am. I understand you already have prior knowledge of the Ministry of Magic visitor entrance, so will not repeat them here. I look forward to meeting you in person.

Yours faithfully

Hermione Granger

Head of Departments.

I looked at Mum and grinned, "Seems like I've started something here. How would you feel about having a son as well as a nephew working for the Ministry of Magic?"

"I'll be proud of you whatever you end up doing, Dudley. I've never been prouder of you than I am right now. You've got over the problems of your upbringing and become a fine young man. Any idea who this Hermione Granger is? She sounds awfully important, must be someone high up in the Ministry."

"I've met her before."

"When? The last time you were at the ministry I suppose, I don't remember you mentioning her."

"No, Mum, at Hogwarts, when I went to see Harry. She was in the same year as him, the cleverest witch of her age some people were calling her. She took 12 N.E.W.T.s, the wizard equivalent of A levels. You've seen her as well; she was nearly always at the station when we picked Harry up, pretty girl, with Bushy hair."

"Can't say I remember her Dudley, but are you sure, she must be awfully young to be running all those departments."

"I don't know Mum, I think it's the entire same one, some sort of Ministry for Racial Equality. She's dealing with elves, giants, goblins, and muggleborn wizards and probably several more different races and species besides. I now she came up with the name SPEW when she was still at school. She was horrified at the treatment house elves received at the hands of wizards, but went about her aims in totally the wrong way."

"One of those goody two shoes types, always jumping to the wrong conclusions I suppose!"

"Not really Mum, just tries to do too hard. Her hear was in the right place over the house elves, but she went the wrong way about achieving her goals. Didn't listen to their needs and wants before trying to solve their problems. She had good intentions, and has probably has done some good work for non-human magical races, it looks like they're now trying to stop the sort of abuse we put Harry through. It sounds like a good thing. I hope it will work, I intend to do my best to make sure it will."

"I'll be with you in spirit for your interview, but before that we've both got a wedding to attend, in spite of your father's opinion I'm going. I don't care what the hell he thinks anymore. I spent all your childhood making life hell for Harry and causing you your share of problems I'm going to do my utmost to atone for it now that I've got the chance."

Please review: this chapter was hard to write, some things didn't seem to flow right, but I hope you enjoy it and continue to enjoy the story I'm trying to tell.


	10. Chapter 10

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think, slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

**I must apologise to readers about the layout of the letter in Chapter 9, the various department names were supposed to be at opposite ends of the line; but unfortunately the [tab] function was not recognised by the document manager so SPEW, GPS, GLO and MRSA were all closely joined. I hope this did not spoil your enjoyment of the story. **

Chapter 10: A Return to Hogwarts.

Mum and I were sitting in the lounge, drinking tea and waiting for the time when our invitational Portkeys would activate and we would be off to Harry's wedding. I still had no idea where the wedding was taking place; that was the most closely guarded secret in the wizard world. I was in a suit, not my personal favourite type of outfit, but a requirement for the occasion, and I suppose I'd better get used to it, I would probably be in something similar for the rest of my working life. Mum was in a brand new dress that she'd bought for the occasion, our dress robes were folded neatly, waiting for us to put them on when the right time arose. I hoped they didn't just vanish in front of our eyes and give us no warning, that would be a bit embarrassing for Harry, a wedding with no best man, just his invitation by his side.

Dad had left the house in disgust this morning; he was going to spend the day with Aunt Marge at the retirement home she'd moved to. I bet she was a terror to the staff, the one client they all dreaded dealing with. Her and Dad would probably spend the day badmouthing Harry and all other 'wastes of space' in their opinion; everyone except themselves in other words. As far as I was concerned they were welcome to each other.

I had just stood up to put the kettle on to make another cup of tea, when the two invitations started to give off a bright blue light. Mum grabbed her dress robes and held the card tightly in her hand, I took my card in my hand and placed my dress robes over my arm and waited.

It suddenly felt like I'd been hooked behind my belly button and was being pulled forwards violently. Seconds later I fell forwards towards a wooden floor, Mum who had been sitting landed on her bottom with a thump. "I'm sorry are you alright, you didn't injure yourself in any way did you?" said a slightly familiar voice.

I looked up to see Bill Weasley helping Mum to her feet. "I'm okay, just a little shaken, I don't know about Mum though!"

"I'm fine thank you! Where are we and why has this building got no roof?"

I looked around at my surroundings and recognised the room I was in; although the layout was slightly different to the last time I was here. Then there had been four tables set up in the hall with benches alongside them, and a table at the head of the hall. Now there were lots of chairs of the institutional type in rows facing where the teachers table had been last time. "Er, I don't know how to say this Mum. Welcome to Hogwarts, we're in the great hall; the ceiling is enchanted to show the sky outside."

"This is Hogwarts; really, I finally get to see it!"

Bill laughed, "Yes Mrs. Dursley, you finally get to see it, or some of it anyway. This is the great hall as Dudley said. Your Portkeys brought you directly here as you are family, other guests will be arriving at other locations within the school. Ginny would like you to help her with finishing getting ready." He looked about, and beckoned a house elf over. The elf was dressed in a smart shirt with the Hogwarts crest embroidered on the front and a pair of matching trousers. "Spritzer would you take Mrs. Dursley to Mum and Ginny please."

The house elf nodded, walked over to Mum and took her hand, they vanished with a crack. I turned to Bill, "I thought you couldn't apparate within Hogwarts, so what just happened?"

"You can't! However the house elves do it, it's not technically apparition. No charms or spells that wizards have come up with can stop a house elf from doing it's masters bidding, technically that's the Headmaster here, but Professor McGonagall has told them to obey the orders of the wedding stewards for the occasion."

"I suppose that makes sense, is Hogwarts used as a wedding location often?"

"No this is the first wedding here for over a thousand years; the last wedding was Helena Ravenclaw's, one of the founders."

"Damn, Harry must really be something in the wizard world then. The first person in a millennium to be allowed to get married here."

"Yes and no! He was the first person to ask! I understand he had to pay a hefty fee towards the Scholarship Fund though."

"What fund is that?"

"If a student has no family to pay for their books, robes etc or their family can't afford it, the scholarship fund is there to help. It's usually chronically underfunded; Harry's contribution has probably made it the healthiest it's been in years."

"Right! I see. Is there anything I need to be doing before the ceremony and how long do we have to wait."

"Harry may want to speak to you, the ceremony's not for a couple of hours yet, he's in the staff room, do you know where that is or would you like a guide?"

"No thanks; I think I know the way, just opposite the great hall, the door with the gargoyles guarding it right?"

"That's it. I'd forgotten you'd been here before. How much of the school did you see that time?"

"Er, the great hall, the entrance from the lake, the Gryffindor common room and the stairways to it. Not that I could remember the way to the common room though. I'll make my own way to the staff room thanks." I went out the great hall and across the entrance to the staff room.

The gargoyle on the left looked at me, "are you lost, the great hall's behind you? You should be taking your seat for the ceremony."

"I'm Dudley, Harry's best man."

"Yes, I believe he's expecting you, go straight in!" The door opened up behind the gargoyle and it returned to rigid stone again." I quickly slipped in through the open door.

"Hi Dudley, glad you made it. You didn't forget your robes did you? I don't know if I could summon them from your house in Surrey. I suppose I could send Kreacher for them."

There was a knock on the door and a house elf, dressed the same way as the one earlier came in with my robes. "These is Master Dudley's robes. He was leaving them in the hall."

I said thank you to the house elf and it left Harry and I alone in the room. "What's with the house elves here, they all seem to be wearing the same thing?"

"It's quite simple really. After you managed to change the conditions of their employment when you spoke to Justin's Biskit, Professor McGonagall spoke to the house elves in the kitchen here. They had been wearing cloth napkins and washing them; on checking it was found there was enough napkins in the castle to use every day for a year before needing to wash them, a certain number were given to the house elves to make themselves clothes, they decided that they were proud to be working here, so they made themselves a uniform, which they all wear. It does look impressive when you see them all together, there's over a hundred house elves in the castle, the largest number in any wizarding building in Britain."

"any progress on house elves being allowed wands or getting paid yet, or about days off, holidays; things like that?"

"Not yet, Hermione is working on it, but these things take time. Some old families are still griping at the small changes that have been made already. The wizard population as a rule is slow to accept change. A lot of them still expect Muggles to attack them with pitchforks and flails if they were exposed as wizards! The idea of treating house elves as anything except servants will take time."

"I suppose so. Getting the house elves to accept change is difficult too. From what I remember from talking to Biskit, they were happy working under the previous conditions. Do you know how they feel about the changes made so far?"

"I've only spoken to Kreacher and a few of the elves here. Kreacher says that he enjoys being able to wear clothes, they're a lot more comfortable than the tea-towels he used to wear. The house elves I've spoken to here at Hogwarts say something similar and seem happy as well. Then again the only sad house elf I ever met was Dobby. He was treated very badly and longed for freedom, the only elf I've heard of who wanted it. The elves here were horrified when he came to work here. They felt he had disgraced himself and house elves in general by getting his freedom and as for being paid, well." I looked at my watch, and Harry noticing this suddenly realised that time was passing. "Crikey Dudley, here we are talking away and I need to give you these." He reached into a pocket in his robes and removed a box containing two rings. "You'll need these!"

"I suppose I will! Is the ceremony any different from a Muggle ceremony though, is there anything special I need to do?"

"How should I know? I've only ever been to one wedding and that was Bill and Fleur's, but what I can remember from the few times I saw one on the telly at yours, not that much. There is a slight bit of magic when we're finally married, but nothing really flashy, just some sparks. But are you prepared for your part, giving us the rings at the right time and your speech?"

"You would remind me of my speech wouldn't you? That's the one thing I'm not looking forward to. I've never given a speech before and certainly not in front of a load of witches and wizards. I hope they'll understand if I use muggle references."

"Some of the older generation might be a bit confused if you're too obscure, but you should have no troubles. Trust in yourself! I know I do!"

"Thanks. That means a lot to me; how are you feeling about this? I mean you're about to get married!"

"Nervous as hell! But on the other hand I can't wait!"

"I can understand that. I feel the same way about my duties today. Best man for a cousin, that I don't know as well as I should considering that we lived together from the time we were one year old. I just wish Mum and Dad had treated both us the same, instead of treating us the way they did."

"Me too. But I would have been a different person when I went to Hogwarts I might not be here now. I'm pretty sure their treatment of me influenced my attitude and the way I tackled the problems I had to deal with."

"I didn't know that, and I don't think I'll mention it thanks. It might give wizards an excuse to abuse their children. I don't want to cause myself more work in the future!"

"More work in the future, so did Hermione actually give you the job then?"

"Not yet! My interview is on Monday. Do you think I'll get the job?"

"I don't know, but I do know there's only one candidate for it. So if you don't, the magical world won't get its first social worker."

"Oh thanks for that! It does wonders for my confidence, if I can't get the job no one will. I've got nobody to work against to get the job, I've gotta be useless if I can't get it under those conditions."

"Of course you're not useless! You used to be, but not anymore. I can see that."

"Thanks! That means a lot to me."

"There was a knock at the door and Ron entered. "Come on you two, you need to be in the great hall in five minutes." He came over to me and pulled at my robes in the back straightening them up and went to inspect Harry. "You'll do alright, come on, and take your place in the great hall. If you see Ginny before the actual ceremony she'll kill you." He quickly left the room and we followed across the entrance and into the great hall and made our way to the altar at the back.

Harry and I stood with our back to main doors as the sound of the wedding march struck up around us; I quickly glanced around, but could not make any sense of where it was coming from. More magic.

I looked quickly at the guests seated behind us and Mum was there, wiping at her eyes with a handkerchief, she saw me looking at her and smiled. I'll never understand the attitude of women to weddings, why do they all cry.

We were joined at the altar by Ginny and her father. Harry looked at Ginny and his eyes widened. I glanced at her myself, but could not see the significance of his expression. Her train was being held by an extremely pretty teenaged girl about 16 and an impish looking lad with ginger hair that I thought must be Teddy. Indeed his hair was turning black as I watched.

There was a cough from in front of us and we turned to see the tall imposing figure of Professor McGonagall standing at the altar.

"Dearly beloved we are gathered here in the Great Hall at Hogwarts for the first wedding to be held here in over a millennium. He was the first person cheeky enough to ask, not what I remember of him from school." There was a giggle from the audience. "Who gives this woman to be married to this man?" Mr. Weasley placed Ginny's hand in Harry's and went to take his place next to Mrs. Weasley.

"Do you Ginevra Molly Weasley take this man, Harry James Potter to be your to be your husband?"

"I do!"

"And do you, Harry James Potter, take this woman, Ginevra Molly Weasley, to be your wife?"

"I do!"

Professor McGonagall turned to me and I took the rings from my robes and held my hand out with the both of them on. Harry and Ginny each took a ring and with the traditional 'with this ring, I thee wed' placed the rings on each other's fingers and turned back to face Professor McGonagall. She raised her wand over their heads, "by the power vested in me I now pronounce you bonded for life." Gold sparks flew from her wand and scattered around the happy couple. The audience quietly clapped as Harry and Ginny shared their first kiss as husband and wife.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please stand." Everyone rose to their feet and the chairs moved quietly to the edges of the hall, clustered around several small tables that had suddenly appeared. The altar at the front of the great hall had changed as well. A large table with enough seats for ten. Mum and I took our places next to Harry, next to Ginny were her parents, Ron, George, Percy and Audrey, his wife, Bill and Fleur. Suddenly I was part of a much bigger family. I had brother and sisters in law.

I rose nervously to my feet and looked around the great hall at numerous faces I didn't know. "When Harry asked me to be his best man, I thought that he had fallen off his broom once too often. I wasn't his best friend, that honour went to another. I wasn't the person he'd confided with, laughed with. I'd been the one from whom he needed protection. But Harry being who he was, was there when I needed him. I owe him my life and that is something I can never repay him for. I have been told that my family were described as the worst sort of Muggles imaginable by someone not too far from me today." I looked around at Professor McGonagall to see she was blushing.

"Since that time I've come to appreciate magic. I've even played quidditch, badly I might add." There was a laugh from the guests. When I had finished my speech there had been a few titters, and I received some polite applause.

There was a speech by Mr. Weasley as the father of the bride, son in law to be proud of sort of thing. The meal was provided courtesy of the house elves and excellent of course; then the party started for real. A band I'd never heard of called the Weird Sisters, I have to admit, they were quite good.

Harry and Ginny had the first dance of course, and then Harry danced with Mum and I had a dance with Ginny. I even danced with the pretty blonde bridesmaid, Fleur's younger sister, she was quite a chatty girl, and seemed impressed by the fact I was Harry's cousin, apparently she was convinced Harry had saved her life. His saving people thing again. It was nice to have a pretty girl interested in me, even if it was because I was Harry's cousin.

At the end of the evening after Harry and Ginny had left on their honeymoon, to wherever it was they were going, Mum and I went back home using our invitations as portkeys again. Dad was home and had apparently gone to bed, at least he didn't see us arrive. What would come next in my relationship with my cousin, and how would my interview go on Monday?

Please Review and let me know how I'm doing. What do you think of the story so far. All comments gratefully received and appreciated, even if I don't reply I read them and value all opinions.


	11. Chapter 11

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think, slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 11: Ministerial Interviews.

The Monday morning after Harry's wedding I made my way to London and the Ministry of Magic. Things were slightly different this time though. I was not going to try and get something from the Ministry. I already had what I wanted from them, the magical card / wand that allowed me to interact with the magical world. Now I was going for an interview for the post of Social Worker for the Ministry. I had met my potential new boss some years back when I first saw Hogwarts on Harry's eighteenth birthday. I had called her pretty, not the best start with your future boss; then again I didn't know that was going to happen back then.

I dialled 62442 in the broken phone box on Old Queen Street and listened to the message, "welcome to the Ministry of Magic, Please state your name and business."

"Dudley Dursley, interview with Hermione Granger."

"Thank you! Visitor please take the badge and attach it to your robes." I took the silver badge from the coin return slot and attached it to my jacket. "Visitor you are required to submit to search and present your wand for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the atrium." At least this time I had a wand of sorts to present for registration. I remember the last time I was here. The poor fellow at the desk had panicked when I said I was a muggle and used the fireplace next to his desk to talk to someone. I wonder what the reaction would be this time.

There was someone different at the desk this time, a young blonde man, someone obviously only a couple of years from graduation. "May I have your wand please," he asked politely, his hand waiting. I placed the card in his hand. He looked at it for a moment and placed it onto what looked like an unbalanced set of scales with only one pan. A narrow strip of paper came from the device and he looked at it in an interested way. "Blackthorn and thestral tail hair, been in use for 4 years. Been put to some interesting use I see, floo network use, riding a broomstick, Diagon Alley, Hogwarts. You're a busy Muggle aren't you?" he took a large feather quill from an ink pot on his desk, "who's your magical relative and your relationship please?"

"Err! Harry Potter, cousin."

"I remember Harry, he was three years ahead of me, my brother had a bad case of hero worship where he was concerned. I'm Dennis Creevey. Pleased to meet you." He handed me my wand back and placed the piece of paper on a spike in his desk. He wrote a quick penned note on another piece of paper and folded it into a paper aeroplane which he threw off behind him. "Please take a seat Mr. Dursley; Miss Granger will be here to meet you shortly. Like last time a comfortable looking chair appeared when he waved his wand and I took a seat.

I looked around the building, not that much had changed since the last time I was here. The lifts in the background still looked like an accident waiting to happen as they sped off in various directions. I did notice that there seemed to be an extremely large number of paper aeroplanes about. What was the idea if that?

After a few minutes I spotted what I thought was a familiar face getting out of one of the lifts behind young Dennis, and sure enough the bushy haired young woman came forward round the desk and approached me, I quickly stood as the young lady approached holding out her hand. "Hello Dudley, I don't think you remember, but we met at Hogwarts briefly. I'm Hermione Granger."

"I remember, I called you pretty and got a scowl from Ron, I think he must have been your boyfriend."

She blushed prettily, "you did, I remember now, and yes Ron is my boyfriend, we'd just started going out after the battle. If you'd like to follow me, we'll go to my office. I hope you don't mind but Kingsley Shacklebolt will be in on the interview as well? Wizards really don't have much idea of what a social worker does. I've explained briefly to Kingsley and he wants to be present as well."

We went to one of the lifts and like last time I grabbed one of the handles hanging from the ceiling, and we were off. I'm glad we were using a lift to get wherever we were going, after half a dozen twists and turns I'd lost all sense of direction. We came to a stop at the end of a long corridor with several doors leading off on both sides. "Have you and Ron any plans to set a date or don't you think that's going to happen?"

"I really don't know! I mean, I'd like to get married and have children, and Ron says he would too, but he just doesn't seem to want to ask me!"

"Then you ask him. You seem a perfectly modern woman. I suggested to Harry that he run away to Gretna Green and get married when he said that his mother in law was organising his wedding, but he said he didn't fancy spending the rest of his life as a radish if I remember the conversation correctly. You could try something similar with Ron."

"I don't know! I'll think about it though," she said as she came to a halt in front of wooden doorway covered with several brass plaques, 'Hermione Granger', 'Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare', 'Goblin Liaison Office', 'Giant Problem Solutions', 'Muggle Relative Support Agency'. "There are several more departments," she said as she opened the door and I followed her in, "but we haven't come up with the proper name yet! There's centaurs, Veela, and all manner of magical creatures that need to be integrated properly into our society. Wizard relations with other magical races hasn't been one of their successes, I'm afraid. I'm trying to change that."

I shook Kingsley Shacklebolt's hand as he came from behind a large desk to greet me, "so," I said to Hermione, "As I understand it. You want all magical races to be treated equally, goblins, centaurs, giants, etc. So you should rename it, 'Ministry of Racial Equality', that way you include everybody under one name."

Hermione and the Minister for Magic exchanged a quick glance. "Good idea Dudley, please take a seat," said Kingsley motioning to a chair in front of the desk. Now Hermione has told me a little about the work of a social worker and I admit I'm intrigued, but what are thoughts on the matter. Why does the Ministry of Magic need such a post?"

"I can only speak from experience about these matters you understand, but as I understand it, you know before a wizard goes to school that they're magical and the first incidence of magical contact with a Muggleborn is when there letter is delivered. Is that right?"

Kingsley looked shocked at this, me asking him a question. "Yes, usually a teacher from the school will deliver the letter and explain to the child's parents all about Hogwarts and the magical world. They will be offered assistance if they need it to get to Diagon Alley and all other arrangements. What's the point particularly of this enquiry?"

"Well, when do you know that a child is going to be a witch or wizard? Is it when they turn eleven or when they first manifest magic, which I think I remember hearing is about seven or eight? There are probably some children who don't survive till they're eleven. Harry was slightly different in that my parents understood what his, pardon the expression, freakishness was all about; but what about those children whose parents don't know? We hear occasionally on the muggle news about some child or other who has been beaten to death by their parents, or sometimes you hear about some child undergoing an exorcism because frightened parents are sure they're possessed by the devil. Are some of these cases potential witch or wizards that have not been contacted and acted out of ignorance?"

"I think I see your point. We know as soon as a child is born! The birth is registered at an office here in the Ministry. But surely you aren't suggesting we contact the parents at that time?"

"Not really! But contact should be made as soon as spontaneous magic happens. Most children will have started school, isn't it plausible to imagine, if you're a parent, that some test at school has identified some special gift in the child? You only need to imply this, it wouldn't exactly be lying, but then the parents would know what to expect. Where to get help, things like that."

"The Magical Reversal Squad mainly deals with things like that. Modifying memories and putting the situation back to normal."

"I don't disagree with that. There was probably incidents in Harry's childhood. I remember when my gang and I were chasing him and he flew to the rooftop of the school, the teachers were adamant that he'd climbed up and some even said they'd seen him doing so. My friends were of a similar opinion. I assume their memories were modified to believe that story, but mine wasn't because I should have understood about him being a wizard. Take that situation from a slightly different perspective and Harry had been a complete muggleborn, his parents should have been informed at that point, and it would come as less as a shock to them later when he got his school letter."

"That was probably the case, and I can see the point. But what would your role as a social worker be in such a case?"

"It would be my job to visit the parents and tell them there child was special and had been nominated for a scholarship to a special school for gifted children. Explain how they were gifted, what sort of help they could expect to receive from the authorities; in the worst case scenario where the child was put in danger by these revelations the child could be removed from the care of its parents and put into foster care within the magical community. The other side of the coin of course is squib children; they can be abused by their magical relative just as much as a muggleborn witch or wizard can. Their safety should also be considered. Mrs. Figg, a squib neighbour of ours in Surrey tells me that some such children are just abandoned by their magical relatives at a muggle orphanage; she was when she was eight and showed no manifestation of magic. She still remembers that her parents were magical though, and in some cases there could be resentment from such a person. Even if a squib child is removed from their parents for their own safety, they should still be kept track of, not just metaphorically speaking dumped."

"You raise some good points, they will need thinking about. Have you any opinions on other races that you could be dealing with?"

"Well I understand some changes have been made regarding house elves and goblins. I've seen house elves in clothes and I know the goblins now invest in Muggle economics, and probably do very nicely through it. I suspect other changes have taken place, but I can't confirm them. But I would say what I did the last time I saw you, allow the goblins to become equal members in your society. Allow them access to wands, Hogwarts, but insist the process must be two way. You could learn a lot from them. I'm given to understand they can do magic without wands, so can house elves, that might be useful to learn for wizards. Why do wizards need to channel their magic through a stick? Magic in pre-school children doesn't require that. What is the purpose of the wand?"

"Strictly speaking there is no purpose," said Hermione, earning a surprised look from Kingsley. "The wand is essentially a prop. The young wizard is taught to channel their magic through it. It acts a focus. They can direct their magic in the proper way. It's basic principle is not unlike the aerial on a television set or mobile phone. It directs and amplifies the spell."

"How do you work that out Miss Granger?" Kingsley asked her, "Do you have any proof to your theory?"

Hermione looked at Kingsley and took the wand from her bag and placed it on the desk in front of her. "Wingardium Leviosa," the desk rose slowly in the air about two inches and came back down with a thump. "I can't really do much more than that, but even you must admit Minister that there are spells that do not need wands. An animagus doesn't need a wand to transform; apparition can be done without the wand in your hand, and usually is."

"Hmm! I can see some research is required into this! I'll get some research to look into it, but that's a problem for another day. What other things can you bring to perplex us, Mr. Dursley? You really do seem to cause me more work. Any ideas for other magical races. I must admit you certainly give me cause to think."

"I haven't interacted much with other magical races apart from those, although I have met and spoken to Hagrid the once, when he went to Hogwarts when I went to see Harry. I met him, of course the first time when he delivered Harry's Hogwarts letter and he gave me that bloody tail."

"What's this? I don't believe I'm familiar with that particular episode! Please explain." I went on to tell how Dad had destroyed all the Hogwarts letters for Harry and dragged us all over the place to stop him getting his hands on one and how the last night in some hut in the middle of the ocean, we were woken by the door being knocked down by some huge bearded fellow who had given me a pigs tail. "I see, I wasn't aware that Hagrid still had a wand, from the records I understand it was broken when he was expelled from Hogwarts as a boy, falsely accused as I recall of opening the chamber of secrets. You say he still has a wand?"

Hermione looked at the Minister with contempt. "Honestly minister, have you never noticed how he always carry's that ridiculous pink umbrella with him. It contains the parts of his wand of course! I do hope by my revealing this to you, however, that you're not going to take it from him? That would be doing him an injustice, he was innocent of the crime he was accused of and has been punished for it long enough."

"Oh! I see that, Miss Granger! I understand completely, it is entirely likely that Hagrid will get a full pardon in the near future, possibly a new wand, but that doesn't help us with Mr. Dursley being a social worker for the Ministry."

"Possibly not minister, but you must see the parallel here; Hagrid was a victim all those years ago. It was assumed that because he was half giant he was guilty. A social worker would look into the circumstances of the problem before and after the facts, Hagrid's pet back then was an acromantula. The victim all those years ago was not killed by a bite. I believe Hagrid has the type of job he would have wanted even if he had graduated from Hogwarts, but his obsession with, ahem, monsters was taken against him. I believe his half brother Grawp is working with him at Hogwarts now. It would be advantageous perhaps to employ Grawp and Hagrid as emissaries to the giants."

"I concede your point Hermione, but I still don't see the advantages of employing Mr. Dursley, he's a muggle, no offence Dudley, why shouldn't we employ one of our own."

"I think I should answer that Minister, as both a victim and a giver of abuse I feel I am the right person for the job, as a muggle as well. As a victim of the over dedicated care I had lavished on me by my parents I can understand some of the defensive behaviours that abuse victims develop. From the viewpoint of abuser towards Harry I understand something of the attitudes and mannerisms that a victim will often show in their body language towards their abusers and as a muggle I can sympathise with the shock that they will exhibit when they come into contact with magic."

"Good points, but what is to stop us training some of our own people to do the same job. Someone who is muggle-born for instance."

"Nothing at all, and quite possibly that is something that can be considered for the future. But it would three years before they were qualified. The potential harm that be done to a child in that time is not worth thinking about. Usually an area health authority will have several social workers working for it, looking into everything from abused children to care for the elderly, disabled, and many others. The Ministry of Magic covers the whole country. There will need to be more social workers eventually, but the sooner a start is made the better."

"I believe you've made some excellent points Mr. Dursley, we cannot make a decision immediately, but we will send you an owl within the next week about the outcome of this interview," he rose to shake my hand again and Hermione rose to escort me back to the atrium.

"How do you think I did?" I asked her as we were walking back to the lifts. "Will I be getting the job do you think?"

"If I had my way yes! I remember when Professor McGonagall came to see me and my parents all those years ago, it came as such a shock to them; and they were reluctant at first about sending me to a school they'd never heard of or couldn't find anything out about. They did in the end, for which I'm grateful, but they only found some details out about the school when we were in Diagon Alley and talking to some of the shopkeepers in my first year. Something more before that point would have been useful."

"I see your point, Mum and Dad knew about Harry and Hogwarts, I didn't until he got his letter, and I'll think about what you've said and try to come up with a solution in case I get the job."

I left the ministry via the phone box again and walked the short distance to Grimmauld place where I'd parked my car earlier that day. I looked at number 12, wondered where Harry and Ginny had gone for their honeymoon. Would I soon be working alongside my cousin somewhere in the Ministry of magic? Only time would tell. I did hope so...

Please Review: all correspondence from my readers is greatly appreciated. I may not respond to every review in person, but I do read them. I apologise for the amount of conversation in this chapter, but what else is an interview but a conversation?


	12. Chapter 12

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think, slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 12: A Few Days Holiday.

After I got home from my interview at the Ministry of Magic, Dad was being even more insufferable than usual. Somehow he had managed to find out where in London I had been for my interview. I'm not sure how. The letter was safely locked in a briefcase in my room, although it was possible he been able to find out the combination. Although the letter had been delivered by owl, I didn't think he'd seen the delivery, so how he knew I didn't know. Didn't really care to be honest, but his constant grouching about me working with freaks was getting on my nerves. The only good point was that he shut up whenever Mum was around, which funnily enough wasn't that often. I don't know what she was involved in, but she seemed to spend a lot of time out of the house at the weekend when Dad was home from work. Getting on her nerves as well I suppose.

I needed to get away for a couple of days. His constant griping was getting on my nerves, but where could I go? I had noticed that there was an exhibition of extreme sports on at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), near Birmingham, looked like it might be interesting. It might be worth a look, any excuse to get away from Little Whinging and Dad for a couple of days. I packed my backpack for a couple of days, phoned Mum on her mobile to let her know my plans and left. Didn't bother telling Dad, he would notice when I wasn't there to listen to his snarky comments.

Some hours later I parked up in a multi storey car park and went looking for a hotel in the city. I knew there was a hotel at the NEC, but I understood this could be quite pricey. After a couple of hours walking round, I eventually found somewhere that had had a last minute cancellation and booked myself in. The hotel car park was free to guests so I went and retrieved my car and parked there.

The next morning I got directions to the train station that would get me to the exhibition centre and set off walking in the correct direction. It didn't take me long to get to the train station and after buying my ticket I made my way to the appropriate platform and waited for the next train to pull in. This exhibition certainly seemed to be popular, the platform was quite full. I could hear snippets of conversations in various different languages. There was some French from somewhere on my right and what sounded like Russian or another of the Slavic languages to the back of me and I even thought I caught a couple of words of German. I could have been mistaken though; the only words I knew in German were swear words!

I boarded the train and was forced to stand as there was not enough carriages as usual and therefore not enough seats. There were several people who seemed quite nervous about the journey. They kept looking at the route map and counting the stations to our destination. Unfortunately we had boarded the local train which was stopping at every station on the way. There was an express that eventually went to London, but that hadn't arrived whilst we were waiting.

Eventually the train stopped at the station for Birmingham Airport and the NEC and most of the passengers, including me, exited and made our way towards the exhibition. I paid my entry and saw that several people were having difficulty with the British currency trying to work out exactly what they were paying.

I spent most of the morning looking at various stands about BMX, Paragliding, bungee jumping, and other such sports, but to be quite honest it really wasn't that interesting to me. It seemed to be all short films about these activities and trying to get people to sign up for expensive clubs to partake in said activities. I sat in one of the many concession stands eating an overpriced cardboard burger wondering which hall I should go to next when I saw something in the corner of my eye.

Over to right there was the entrance to a hall that I had noticed was closed earlier, a sign on the door saying it was not part of the exhibition. It looked like someone was going into the hall, and they were wearing robes! What was going on in that hall? I finished with the burger and made my way towards the door. As I approached I began to feel slightly sick and disorientated, I moved away from the door and the feelings passed. What was wrong with me? I shouldn't be here; going towards that hall it was wrong.

I moved off in the other direction and immediately the feeling passed. Why was I heading in the wrong direction? I was curious about what was in that hall and I was sure I had seen someone in robes go in. I turned and made my way back to the doorway and again felt this wrongness. Hang on! That quidditch match that Harry had taken me to. I felt the same way as we were heading towards the pitch, what was it Harry had said, 'Muggle Repelling Charm' or something like that. I reached into my pocket and took the wand from my wallet. I held the card in my hand and walked back towards the door. The sign had changed. It was now talking about trick flying, exhibition quidditch matches and more. This looked like it might be more interesting.

I entered the hall to find it larger than the rest of the exhibition centre put together. The hall was full of people, mostly dressed in robes, but a few in Muggle attire badly, it must be said. There was a sign pointing off to the left that said trick flying so I headed in that direction. I had flown on a broomstick and was barely able to stay up; I was curious what was possible. I had seen some good flying at that quidditch match so what would constitute trick flying?

There were two broomsticks in the air, flying parallel to each other, each with a rider. Then both wizards performed what looked like a cartwheel off their brooms and onto the other. They both continued flying perfectly straight alongside each other and then did another cartwheel back onto their original brooms. That was impressive. They must have been about fifty feet up and there was no safety net in sight.

Next up came two riders on brooms flying straight towards each other, the one rider performed a handstand on his broom as they flew closer, whilst the other hung upside down by his knees. Just as the brooms looked as if they were to collide, the first rider pushed off from his broom and did a flip in the air to land on the other broom, and the rider hanging by his knees grabbed the other broom with his hands and let go of his own, then he made some movement like he was mounting a bicycle and he was seated on the broom. Bloody hell, this was fascinating.

After about an hour of this watching people perform handstands in brooms, jumping from one broom to another or fly standing on their brooms, I decided to go and have a look at some of the exhibition quidditch matches.

I was listening vaguely to the commentaries for the matches as I made my way towards the pitches when I was sure I heard 'Ginny Weasley' mentioned by one of the commentators. Surely she was on her honeymoon with Harry; I didn't know she was a quidditch player. I found and looked at a notice board giving details of the matches. The Wimbourne Wasps were playing the Chudley Cannons and Puddlemere United were playing the Holyhead Harpies. There was a small footnote to this match; Ginny Weasley was replaced as chaser by Sarah Jones. This was the match I was going to see. If Ginny was on a team I wanted to see them in action. The other match was probably a foregone conclusion anyway judging from the Chudley Cannons performance at the match I had seen with Harry.

I quickly made way in the direction indicated for the match and found a seat. The score at the moment was 20/30 to Puddlemere United. Their keeper was really quite good, a young chap by the name of Oliver Wood, who only looked a couple of years older than me. What did surprise me was that the Harpies was an all female team, and they were quite good. The quaffle was in the hands of the Holyhead chasers and they were heading towards the goalposts. The first chaser threw the quaffle toward the left hand hoop only to have it deflected by Wood. The second chaser caught the quaffle and immediately threw it at the right hand hoop. Holyhead had equalled the score.

The match continued in a similar vein to this for a couple of hours, one team would score a goal and then the other side would equalise. The bludgers were being hit at players, and deflected at a furious pace. The Puddlemere keeper was nearly knocked off his broom several times, but seemed to have some sort of knack of dodging at the last minute. I was watching one such narrow escape the score at 90/110 when there was a gasp from the audience. I looked back at the pitch and two players were diving towards the ground, suddenly the Holyhead seeker, Glynnis Griffiths, pulled up and back into the air. The Puddlemere Seeker wasn't so lucky and hit the ground with a thud. Medi-wizards were quickly on the scene and the Puddlemere seeker was stretchered off the pitch and replaced by their reserve seeker. Meanwhile the Holyhead seeker was back in the air looking for the snitch.

The Puddlemere seeker started to speed towards his own goal, but the Holyhead seeker saw him and headed off in the same direction. Suddenly the Holyhead seeker turned almost on the spot as the Puddlemere seeker was making a loop behind his own goal hoops. The game was over. The final score 240/110. That match had been fantastic. The quality of play definitely better than the last one I had seen. Both teams were pretty evenly matched, not like the debacle I had seen at New Year. I made my way from the stands and went to the souvenir stands around the edge of the hall. I picked up a book about the Harpies, paid three Galleons for it and decided to call it a day. It was getting late and I decided to call it a day and make my way back to my hotel.

It had certainly been a good afternoon, and I was sitting in the hotel restaurant looking at the menu when I heard my name mentioned, "Maman, regard, cest Dudley!" I looked up puzzled, who knew me here? In the doorway of the restaurant was the pretty blonde girl who had been Ginny's bridesmaid, an attractive looking older woman and a round faced chubby looking gentleman, her parents I presumed. The girl ran quickly to my table. "Excuse me! Am I right, you're Harry Potter's cousin, Dudley?"

"Err, yes! And if I remember you are Gabrielle, Fleur's sister, you were a bridesmaid and danced with me at the wedding."

We were joined at the table by her parents. "Gabrielle behave! I apologise monsieur, my daughter is a little too enthusiastic at times. Come on Gabrielle, leave the gentleman in peace."

"No reason to apologise. I've only just sat down, would your care to join me, Monsieur, Madame. I'm afraid I don't remember your surname. I'm Dudley Dursley, Harry Potter's cousin, as Gabrielle rightly remembered."

"Merci, I'm Apolline Delacour and this is my husband Pierre, you obviously me Gabrielle at the wedding, I believe you were Harry's best man? But I do not understand why you say you thought he was mad for choosing you! Is not a cousin, the best person to do the job?"

"Oh! How much do you know about Harry's life? You obviously know about his defeat of Voldemort, do you know anything about his life outside school?"

"Not really, no! We know he is now an Auror working for your Ministry, but his life during school not that much."

Over dinner I told the Delcours about Harry's life with our family before and during his time at Hogwarts. How he used to sleep in the cupboard under the stairs until he was nearly eleven, my favourite game of Harry Hunting and all the abuses we'd put him through. The look on their faces was not a pleasant one as I told my tale. "That all changed with me before he started his fifth year. We were attacked by dementors and Harry saved my life. I began to realise who and what I was. I tried to change. When he reached his seventeenth birthday, it was arranged for our family to go into hiding. After the treatment we had given him I think he would have been justified to leave us to the Death Eaters, but he didn't. I made up my mind to apologise to him and make amends. I think we can say we are friends now, I just wish we could have been all our lives." I stopped and wiped tears from my eyes, telling them about it I was remembering the guilt and remorse I felt when I realised what a stinker I had been to him.

"I'm sorry," I said as I continued to wipe the tears from my eyes. "I went to Hogwarts on his eighteenth birthday, in an attempt to apologise. He forgave me and agreed we could start anew. Since then we've kept in touch, and he asked me to be his best man, for his own reasons. I was proud to accept."

After I had finished, their attitude to me improved a little and we talked about our reasons for being in Birmingham. They had come for the quidditch and trick flying exhibitions. It was on their way back to France. They were using Muggle transport, such a slow and uncomfortable way to travel on the whole. Monsieur Delacour admitted to a slight case of confusion regarding Muggle money and I explained to him, showing him a five pound note and that this was the Muggle equivalent of a Galleon, the way that Justin had to me, all that time ago in Tinworth.

After our meal had finished we both signed our bills and made our way to the lifts to return to our rooms for the night. Still talking about the differences in Muggle and Magical community financial departments. The Delacours got off at the first floor, monsieur and Madame both shook my hand as they left and followed Gabrielle out.

Just as the door was about to shut, a small arm poked in and they opened again. Gabrielle jumped in and gave me a kiss on the cheek, blushed and quickly left. I heard her voice as the doors were closing "Je l'aime sa Maman, il est beau et mignon." I wondered what that meant? It was a long time since I'd done French at school, and about all I could remember was bonjour.

I checked out of the hotel, the following morning and made my way back home. The Delacours had checked out earlier, I was glad to have met them, they seemed nice people and that Gabrielle was cute too...

Author Note: There is no record of M. Delacour's name in any reference I could find, so I have called him Pierre, Peter, in English. Does anyone understand the French at the end of this chapter? It may give you a hint of things to come if you do. Meanwhile please review. All comments greatly appreciated.


	13. Chapter 13

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think, slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 13: RaceRelationsandAccommodations.

It was the Monday after my interview when I finally received a reply from the Ministry about the job interview I had been to.

**M**inistry of **R**acial **E**quality

Head of Department: Hermione Granger

Dear Mr. Dursley,

After you interview of the 5th August, we would like to offer you the post of social worker at the Ministry of Magic. You first day should be Monday 19th August and you should be on ministry premises by 9.00. Further information and assistance will be made available to you then.

Your ideas concerning House Elves and Goblins have already been useful in changing their relationship with the wizard world. It is hoped you may have some ideas regarding another magical race. Centaurs are an old and proud magical race that have a long history with Mankind going back many millennia, even to Ancient Greece where Chiron, one of their honoured elders was the teacher of many heroes of the ancient world. Lately relations have soured, it is hoped you may be able to change this.

Your wand applied to this letter will reveal a document showing the recent history of the relationship between the two races. A representative of the centaurs, one Firenze, an exile from his kind will be at the Ministry on Friday 16th. It is hoped you could come and assist us with this conundrum.

Please send your acceptance of this opportunity by return owl. Should you accept, the original letter will act as a portkey to bring you to the Ministry at 11.00 on Friday.

Yours sincerely

Hermione Granger.

I wrote a quick reply saying that I would the document supplied and be at the Ministry on Friday. I went outside into the back garden and looked for the owl that had delivered the letter. Sure enough, the owl was sitting in the apple tree at the back of the garden. I whistled and the owl flew to sit on my outstretched arm. I attached the letter to the owl's leg and it gave a hoot and took off on its journey back to the Ministry.

I went back inside, made myself a coffee and applied my wand to the letter from the Ministry. Suddenly the letter was a document of approximately 20 pages full of the legalities and accords between the two races. What I read was not good, in spite of many years of good relationship between the two races, the wizard community seemed to look on the as animals, half-breeds. This seemed to be the main bone of contention. Despite having a culture and traditions the predated the Greeks, the centaurs were treated as common animals, took offence at this and refused to negotiate with wizards on anything until this was rectified. They were a stubborn and proud race, known to hold grudges for a long time.

How on earth could this problem reach a conclusion satisfactory to both parties, obviously their 'near human' intelligence was seen as an insult by them, but hopefully a few well trained words could alter that perception. If their intelligence was near to human, from what direction was it near? You could be near human intelligence like a troll or a centaur, the troll being near from the lower end of the intelligence scale, the centaur from the other.

The wizards' notion that they were half breeds was something that needed more careful consideration. At some point, so far back in their history it may have been true, but they were now a separate and distinct race of beings.

I spent the next couple of hours trying to come to some conclusion about this particular aspect, without success and was getting frustrated when I heard the front door open. I quickly tidied away my notes and got ready to take them to my room. I didn't want Dad to catch me trying to solve this problem. Luckily it was Mum who came into the kitchen and seeing my neat pile of notes, she asked what I was up to. "Trying to solve my first problem as Social Worker, the integration of centaurs into wizard society!"

"Hang on! Does this mean you got the job, that's wonderful? I think this is cause to celebrate. What do you think?"

"I don't know Mum! I think Dad knows where I went for the interview. I don't think he's going to be too happy with me working with those," I mimed quotation marks, "freaks!"

"I foresee another problem. Your office is going to be in London, you'll have to commute; it's either an hour and a half drive or an hour journey by train every day. I'm not saying you should, but maybe you might consider getting yourself a flat nearer to the office. Your Dad can grumble all he likes to himself when there's nobody here to listen to him. If it weren't for the fact that he's my husband and your father, I could probably divorce him for his attitudes. In my own way though, I still love him, flawed as he is. I mean he's still a bigot and an ignorant sod, but he's still the man I married all those years ago."

"I think I understand what you mean! He's my Dad and I love him, but I don't actually like him all that much! I admit I hadn't thought about the commuting side of the job, but you're right, it could get to be a bit of a problem especially when the weather turns bad. I'll look into finding myself some accommodation nearer to work. I'm 22; I don't need to be living with my parents anymore."

"I didn't mean that quickly Dudley! I'm not throwing you out or forcing you to move out, I'm just saying it might be something to consider!"

"No Mum, I think it needs to be done! I've got an appointment at the Ministry on Friday at 11.00. They've arranged a portkey to get me there, but I don't want to travel like that too often. It's also quite possible that other wizards will need to communicate with me out of hours, how would Dad react if someone apparated here to speak to me. I'll make some enquires with estate agents in London about flats to rent."

After a grim meal with Mum and Dad, I went upstairs to look on the internet for rental agencies and opportunities in London. Mum had been so pleased at my getting the job that she had blurted the news out to Dad. The look on his face was so dangerous; I swear if we'd been alone in the house he would have thrown me out the door there and then. As it was he agreed all to readily with the idea of my relocating to London. The look in his eyes saying the sooner the bloody better!

The prices to rent a property in London were astronomical, at least four times what they were around here; I had a basic idea of the costs of renting from when I was at University, but as I still didn't know what my salary would be I didn't know what I could afford yet. Unless they were going to be paying me a company director's wage, I think I'd be living in a cardboard box on Oxford Street seeing these prices.

The next morning I dialled the Ministry of Magic on my mobile phone; I'd had the number stored on it since Harry had asked me to be his best man, but never used it before. I made enquiries with Hermione about my salary and although it was generous I didn't think I'd be living that close to London and renting, not if I wanted to eat as well.

Well it looked like I may have to stay living with Mum and Dad and commute every day, crap; I'd built up some hopes of living away from home. I'd enjoyed the freedom of it when I'd been at university and to be quite frank I was beginning to hate the restrictions of living with my parents again; Dad especially, Mum as well, but not in the same way.

About two hours after I'd spoken to Hermione at the ministry, my phone rang and I looked at the display before answering, 'Hermione Granger, Ministry of Magic,' I wondered what she needed to talk to me about? "Hello Dudley, I've spoken to Kingsley about your possible need to relocate. There is a fund to help with person's needing to relocate. It can't help with renting property, but it might be possible for you to buy a small flat or apartment. I don't know if that helps?"

I thanked her and said I would look further and see what I was able to find, we'd talk about it on Friday after our meeting about the centaurs. Well that put a different light on things. I could probably find somewhere that the Ministry could buy for me. Blimey, I never envisaged that, owning a property at 22, Mum and Dad were still paying the mortgage of they'd got to buy this place. I'd probably need some sort of mortgage to pay the Ministry back, but it would be worth it.

I got back on the internet and got to searching for small apartments or flats for sale in the Greater London area. The choice was quite wide and varied, but I could see nothing that really appealed to me. There were one and two bedroom apartments for sale, but the areas they were in, were not the areas I wanted to live in. I didn't fancy living over a brothel or a nightclub, which were the choices in one area and the City of Westminster prices for apartments was crazy. I'd need a hundred years to pay the Ministry back if they bought me one of those, a studio flat, or bedsit, was more than the cost of Mum and Dad's house.

I was beginning to feel down again, when something caught my eye. I looked hard at the for sale notice and couldn't believe it! The property was in London, itself, not very far from the Ministry, but the price was a lot lower than I expected. I wonder why it was so low? I knew the location well. I looked at my watch, it was after 6, and the office would be closed now.

I told Mum that I was going to London in the morning by train, and that I had a particular reason not to take my car. She listened and accepted that I knew what I was doing, even if she did wonder why I would be using the train instead of my car.

I made my way into London early the next morning full of anticipation at the thought of what I was contemplating and the implications it would have in my life. The ride on the tube to the location of the estate agents office seemed interminable. I strode into the office just after nine and began looking at the property cards. I was not going to give too much away. If they saw how interested I was in the property in question, they might try to raise the price. I took a couple of leaflets for flats in a similar price bracket and the address I really wanted and handed them to the girl behind the desk. "Could I have a look at these please?"

She glanced at the properties I had selected and called on an intercom to somebody obviously in another room. "Mr. Hunter, a gentleman to have a viewing of some properties is in the office, could you help please." I looked up and a young man not that much older than myself came down a set of stairs at the back of the office.

He looked at me and held out his hand, "I'm Paul Hunter, what properties are you interested in?" The girl behind the desk handed him the leaflets and he glanced through them. "Ok, everything is fine with those, I'll need to make a couple of phone calls to see if everything is alright to go calling today, but I don't anticipate any problems. If you'd just take a seat and I'll be with you shortly."

He made a couple of phone calls from the desk, seemed pleased with the answers he got. He went to a locked safe at the back of the office, removed a couple of sets of keys anduHun came back to me. He asked my name and if I had a car available. When I replied that I was using the tube, he smiled and got a set of car keys from the girl behind the desk.

We spent most of the morning looking at the properties I'd picked because their prices were similar to the one I was really interested in; finally he drove to the property I was really here to look at.

We parked in the small square and he made his way to the front door. "Is it a flat on one of the floor's of this building?" I asked playing the innocent. I'd read up on it completely yesterday on the web. He knocked on the door and waited for a reply.

"No, it's the whole house, the owner has his own reasons to move, and he wants a quick sale!"

"What's wrong with the place I asked as the front door opened?" The owner looked at me, suspiciously as he heard my question. "There's not dry rot or damp or anything like that is there?" I asked out loud again, addressing my comment to the estate agent, but knowing the owner could hear as well.

The house owner a man in his sixties looked at me, over his glasses, "there is nothing like that wrong with the house sir, but I have other reasons for moving, quickly. Please do come in."

He showed us round the house and I took my time checking things as if I was trying to find fault, after all at that low a price there must be a problem somewhere, mustn't there? I definitely liked what I saw, but I knew that before I even saw the property. I pressed the owner for details of why the house was for sale so cheaply. It seemed that in the past couple of years he had been hearing noises from the walls, he was convinced at first that it was structural or something of the sort, but had had surveys done, which he proceeded to show me, and the house was fine, nothing wrong with it. Should last for years. The noises seemed to occur whether or not the neighbours were at home, and then they're were the mysterious figures.

It turned out he was seeing people appear in the middle of the square and make their way to the property line between himself and the neighbouring house and they would vanish again. They were usually dressed in some sort of long robe like costume, what with the noises and these mysterious figures he'd had enough. He had an offer to move in with his son, up north and he was going to take him up on the offer. I thanked him for his honesty and told him I would think on it, and left with the estate agent.

As we were making our way back to his office I made further enquiries of him about the last property I'd seen, I knew what the noises he could be hearing might be, who the robed figures were, but I wasn't telling the estate agent that.

I walked from the estate agents office to the Leaky Cauldron and through the hole in the wall at the back into Diagon Alley. I was going to see how much I had in real money terms in my Gringotts vault. I knew from what Harry had told me, that it was quite a respectable amount by wizard standards, but that meant nothing now. How much did I have in my account in pounds sterling, could I afford to buy the house, with or without Ministry help?

It took me a while to get a straight answer from the goblins as to my exact balance, but I could afford to buy the house in my own right if the Ministry couldn't help me. I could even afford to finish paying off Mum and Dad's mortgage or even buy their house outright. Ha! Imagine Dad's face if his home was bought out from under him and he was thrown out on the street, I wasn't going to though. I'd got mixed memories of Privet Drive; it had been my family home all my life, but it had been where Harry had been abused by me and my parents. I wanted a fresh start. I was going to get that house, Ministry or not.

I made my way home by train and phoned the estate agent and put an offer in for the house, my plans were made. That house was going to be the first home I owned in my own right. It was near to my new workplace. The figures materialising in the square would soon be apparating to see me.

What would the reaction of the Ministry be? Would they help with the buying of my new address? All that remained to be seen. But this was definitely the start of something new for me.

Please review: I would envisage that some readers have worked out the address that Dudley was looking at; if you haven't, all will made clear in the next chapter.


	14. Chapter 14

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think, slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 14: MinisterialMeetings

On the Friday morning I was dressed smartly, although not in my suit, waiting for the portkey to activate to take me to the Ministry, for my first encounter with a centaur. Would my ideas pull any weight with them? That remained to be seen.

The notes from the Ministry that had been my invitation to this consultation began to give out a bright blue light and I quickly grabbed hold of it and my own notes. With the usual sickening lurch I was pulled forward by a hook behind my belly button somewhere and found myself in a meeting room somewhere in the Ministry of Magic. Hermione Granger was seated at the table dominating the centre of the room; her back to me, talking to what at first glance was a tall bare chested man standing in front of her.

The man pointed out to her that they had company in the room and she turned around in her seat. I walked towards her as she got up to greet me. I then noticed that the man was not a man but in fact a centaur. Hermione shook my hand and turned to introduce her companion, "Dudley, may I introduce you to Firenze, one of the few centaurs who is talking with wizards at this time."

I shook the centaur by the hand and took the seat he indicated. "I've been listening to Hermione's comments about you! For a muggle, you seem to have a profound grasp of some of the problems facing the wizard community; I begin to hope that relations between my own race and wizards could begin to improve. Have you managed to give any thought to the problem, I was informed you had some information sent to you a few days ago?"

"I have given it some thought and I believe there is two main points of contention. The first being that wizards regard you as some type of human / equine crossbreed and therefore subhuman, and the second being that you resent being referred to as having near human intelligence."

"That would summon the main points of the argument, as for seeing us as ahem animal hybrids, they seem to believe we should be kept to some sort of reservations or protected environments for our own good. We would like greater autonomy to live where we want to, not where we are told to, like a pet."

"I appreciate that, but you must understand that part of that is to protect you from muggles. Can you imagine them getting hold of one of your community and making it the next media sensation; the safety of your own and their anonymity? The muggles would treat you far worse than the wizards do. Your kind would be open to exploitation as some exhibit in a zoo, there would be mass hunts of your kind and many of your people would end up being dissected in muggle laboratories."

"you make a valid point with that and maybe that should be a point left until later, after we gain recognition for ourselves as a race in our own right, not some disgusting half-breed combination."

"Well I don't know your full history, but is it not possible in some part in your distant ancestry there was this connection, after all I wouldn't like it to be pointed out that as a human being I share about 97% of my DNA with a chimpanzee. We might be related at a genetic level, but I won't be inviting them to dinner anytime soon!"

"Ah! I see where you and wizards are coming from in this regard, you believe that because I resemble a horse from the rear and human from the front, that we are a mix of both races. Sorry to disappoint you, but we understand our history far better than that. We are of far older origins than man."

Both Hermione and I looked at each other in surprise, this was news to us. "Do go on," I said, "this is fascinating." I looked across at Hermione and indeed her eyes seemed to bear a sparkle that showed intense interest.

"Although we are mammalian in our present evolved form, our beginnings go via a different route. Humans are evolved from a small shrew like animal, not unlike the lemurs of Madagascar; we are descended from a creature not unlike the modern day ant. Our ancestors were endo-skeletal whereas ants are exo-skeletal; the absence of an external skeleton meant we required a larger size for protection. Our ancestors were originally oviparous like ants," he noticed my confusion at this last remark; "we laid eggs, but there were problems inherent in this process that once laid the eggs were essentially defenceless. They had to be nested, so over time we evolved to carry them within us; Much as mammals do today.

Our society still has many links to our origins to this day; centaurs are to a limited degree, hive creatures. What one knows, we all know, eventually through the hive or herd link."

Hermione interrupted at this point; "does this mean you are still a part of the herd mind at Hogwarts, you could return, if they allowed it?"

"I could return to my herd if they permitted it, but at this time I am not part of the herd-mind, and it is most disconcerting to be so alone in my own head. When the late Professor Dumbledore persuaded me to teach at the school, he wove some sort of enchantment that gave me a semblance of a herd-mind. In essence the school and its students became my new herd. I cannot hear the individual thoughts of any particular student or teacher, but at the same time I have a feeling that I am safe in the confines of the community. It is this charm that has enabled me to stay sane these past few years. I would equate it to someone in your own world who was deaf, but with enough hearing to make out general background noise."

Hermione nodded to show that she understood this at some basic level; it made some kind of sense to me as well. "So you are saying there is some sort of parallel evolution going on, that just happens to give your kind the resemblance of a human / equine crossbreed. There is no genetic compatibility between our kinds."

"That is precisely what I am saying. There have been incidents in history when matings between our kinds have taken place. The resulting offspring if any are, pardon the expression, a type of mule, sterile."

"Hmm! I wonder if the situation has ever been taken a stage further as in Tigons and Ligers." Both Hermione and Firenze looked at me in confusion. "Ligers and Tigons are crossbreeds between a lion and a tiger, the difference being which parent was which, and I can't recall how exactly it works. Both types of offspring are infertile though with either of their parents, but a male and a female liger will produce valid offspring, the same with tigons. Tell me Firenze is there any difference in offspring depending on which parent was the father, and which the mother? There is with, pardon the expression, horses and donkeys."

Firenze thought for a few moments, "I believe there is, a child born to a human mother tends to follow the human template, two arms, two legs, the ears tend to be a little pointed and the hair is a little mane like, and then there's a tail. The offspring borne by a female centaur tends to like ourselves, but tends to have a weak spine, and is often is hairless in the abdominal part of the body. The torso tends to be similar to our own, but as I said the spine is weak. I don't recall that such ever lived to full adulthood. The more human type of crossbreed is much more robust and I seem to recall that in the dim and distant past, one such was even granted a place in my old herd, of course that was several hundred years ago. Such interactions with humans were rare then and even rarer now."

I looked at Hermione, "what does the wizard world know of DNA. Is it possible that a genetic profile could be made of both centaurs and humans to show they had no common ancestry, would that make them see the centaurs as a separate and unique race in itself."

"No, the wizard community hasn't heard of DNA and we certainly don't want some muggle laboratory to get its hands on centaur Genetic material. It's a good idea, but not feasible at this time."

"It may be enough that centaurs know their history, at least to get the process started, for their status as a species; something else that requires attention is their 'near human' intelligence. The problem here is one of perception. They believe we are insulting their intelligence. I can see how the wording can be taken as an insult, if looked at with a certain bias. The other problem is there is no comparative study of the intelligence of both species, no common ground.

The first point, the perception of insult. Which statement here is true? A troll is of near human intelligence or a human is of near troll intelligence."

"Neither obviously, a troll is nowhere near intelligent as a human and to say a human has intelligence approaching that of a troll is vastly insulting to humans!"

"I think you've only seen the answer from one side. Both answers are also true!" both Firenze and Hermione looked at me as if I were bonkers, maybe I was, but I believed I was right. I took a sheet of paper from the notes I had made and turned it over and drew a crude sketch. A stick man in the middle, a larger stick figure to the left, and a stylised stick figure of a centaur to the right. Imagine this is a scale of intelligence, with the simplest mind on the left and the most intelligent to the right. The troll's intelligence is near to the humans from a lower perspective, the centaurs is near to the humans from a higher. The wording of the Ministry act says near, it doesn't say nearly, which would tend to suggest it being lower."

"Definitely something to think about! I will take all your ideas and reasoning's and arguments when I go back to Hogwarts. Although I am not a full member of my own herd at this time, the leader, Bane, has agreed to let me serve as an intermediary. I don't know if your ideas will make a complete reconciliation between our species, but it's a start."

"What about the comparison between the intelligence of both species, I know muggle schools use some sort of test to work out the IQ, intelligence quotient, of children and there are similar tests for adults, but they differ by society and culture. If a way could be found to actually quantify the intelligence of centaurs, it could help you as well."

"That may require some thought on both sides, but for now, we have a starting point. Centaurs are a patient race, but we are also slow to accept change as well. It will take years for the damage of the past to be undone, but I will make my way back to Hogwarts now and present these ideas to my people." He shook our hands and made his way from the room and presumably off to Hogwarts.

"Now Dudley, your relocation problem, have you managed to give any thought as to somewhere you could move to in London. The Ministry has compiled a list of properties available on the area." She pushed a list of properties across the table to me.

I looked at the list of properties that she had supplied; there were a couple of the ones I had viewed the other day and a few more that I hadn't seen. My personal choice and indeed the house I was buying were not on the list. I handed the list back to her, "I've actually seen the property I want and I've put and offer in. It's not on your list, but it appeals to me for several reasons!"

"Oh! I see! You might need to put some of your own money forward, if the price is over what the Ministry is willing to pay. Where is it? How much is it going to cost?"

"Number 11 Grimmauld place, the present owner is moving to live nearer his family and wants a quick sale. He is also convinced there is something odd about the location. Apparently he hears noises coming from the house next door when that house is empty and he keeps seeing people in robes appear and disappear in the square."

"Oh! Err! That's an interesting choice! What are your reasons for choosing that particular property?"

"It has parking in the square and the house is next door to..." I found I couldn't complete my answer. The Fidelius charm had struck again.

"I understand completely, the house is next door to Harry's! You can't say because you're not a secret keeper for the location. Don't you think that property is a little on the large side for a single man such as yourself just starting out. I don't know that the ministry envisaged helping you buy a house? I'd need to speak to Kingsley about this; it's going to be quite a bit more than we anticipated paying."

"Actually I don't believe I need help from the Ministry. I have funds available to me that would enable me to purchase the house outright."

"Your parents must be buying it for you then, I must admit I'm envious, my parents couldn't afford to do that from me, and they're in a well paid profession."

"No, I'll be buying it without help from Mum and Dad. I'll be using some of the money from my Gringotts vault!"

"What! You have a Gringotts vault, how on Earth did you manage to do that? I applied for one when I left Hogwarts and I'm still waiting. I understand its extremely hard to get a vault when you're muggleborn like me. It might be that I never get one, unless I actually end up marrying Ron and we open a joint account."

"I didn't open it; the goblins did it for me. Do you remember a few years ago when the goblins began to invest in the Muggle stock market. Well that was partly my idea! They take money from items purchased from them and invest it in the markets, the income made more than makes up for other discrepancies between your two societies!"

"I've been seriously misinformed about you in some ways! You've had even more of an influence on wizard society than I reckoned; what other magical races have you interacted with? I do hope I won't be expecting a delegation of trolls to turn up, because you met up with one in Tinworth."

"There's part giants, as in Hagrid, part Veela as in Fleur, Gabrielle and Madame Delacour, house elves, Biskit and Kreacher mainly. I've never met a troll, so I think you're safe on that issue."

"I'm glad to hear that! Well that seems to cover the technicalities of your move to London. The wizard world will furnish you with some money to assist in the purchase of some furniture for your house of course. This is standard in such cases! Have you any idea when you might be moving into your new address?"

"About a month I expect, I only put an offer in yesterday. I understand these things take time. I'll have to commute until then I suppose!"

"Oh! You've put an offer in already; the Ministry may be able to speed that process up for you. I'll be able to tell you more on Monday, but you should be ready to move in by the end of next week. Would you prefer to drive yourself to London on Monday or would you prefer the Ministry to set up a portkey for you? It can be done either way, whichever you prefer."

"I think I should drive in, for the first few days, there's obviously going to be a lot of stuff to sort out at first and having my feet firmly on the ground so to speak will help me to get acclimatised to my new job and everything."

"Very well, Dudley I understand completely! I look forward to seeing you on Monday morning. If you take your letter and count backwards from three, it will activate the return portion of the portkey and take you home. Is there anything else you'd like to know before then?"

"I don't think so, thank you for giving me this opportunity to meet another type of magical creature, it really has been fascinating." I shook her hand in goodbye and counted backwards from three holding the letter that I'd been sent earlier in the week. At some point during this meeting it had changed back from the pages of notes that I'd read on centaurs. On the count of three, I was pulled by my belly button forwards and I reappeared in the kitchen of 4 Privet Drive.

Mum had her back to me, standing at the stove, preparing something for tea. She turned round in shock as I knocked one of the chairs on arrival. I hated portkeys. It always felt like someone was trying to rip your guts out. "Hello dear, I didn't hear you come in. How did your meeting go? Has the ministry found somewhere to live? I do hope it's not some dreadful little bedsit!"

"The meeting went very well and yes I've found somewhere to live; I might be able to move in as soon as the end of next week according to Hermione."

"That's awful sudden Dudley; I hadn't anticipated you leaving home quite that quickly. Well come on then, tell me. Where are you going to live in London? I do hope it's a good area."

"Okay Mum. Calm down, I'm moving into number 11 Grimmauld Place. I think you've heard the address before."

Mum staggered against the stove, number 11, but that's next door to..." she stopped mid sentence. "Does Harry know? What do you think his reaction will be?"

"I've absolutely no idea what his reaction will be. He's on his honeymoon remembering. It will definitely come as a surprise to him when he finds out. I hope he takes it well. I know I'm looking forward to all. New home. New job."

Mum and I carried on discussing about my proposed move to London next week and everything that might entail. We only stopped when Dad came home from work and dinner was served. His presence putting a damper on the conversation as usual. I am sure Mum and I would have a lot more to talk about together in the next week, before I moved out of the family home for good...

Please review: did anyone guess where Dudley was looking at. The clues were there, if you knew where to look. I do hope you enjoyed this chapter. I may have rewritten several libraries of ancient and classical literature about centaur origins, but do you know of any other type of creature that has SIX limbs other than members of the insect community. It made sense to me. Please let me know what you think.


	15. Chapter 15

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think, slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 15: HouseChilling.

My first week at my new job was one of meetings where the format of my meetings with parents of muggle born students was discussed and hashed over again and again. A main sticking point seemed to be demonstrating magic to the new students and how this could be achieved. There was also the problem of the said parents not being able to find any information out through 'normal' muggle channels. There was no written documentation available for these parents to see about the school and obviously there was no website for Hogwarts, the magical community was doing its best to catch up with muggle technology, but that particular hurdle had yet to be jumped.

A check was made of the parents of muggles currently going to Hogwarts to see if any of them were experts in the use of web design to no avail. A check of squibs was a little more successful, it seemed that Mrs. Figg's grandson was a computer games designer and preparations were made to speak to him in the hope he could he help.

By the end of the week some progress had been made about written literature to be given to muggle parents and an acceptable use of magic for me to demonstrate to the parents. A new book was commissioned which would give the history of the school in limited detail and show the curriculum etc to the parents. This book being about a hundred pages was spelled like the library books had been in Tinworth. I could fit the whole thing into my wallet and produce it for the parents to keep and read at their leisure, but otherwise progress was slow.

The high point of the first week was my moving into my new house on the Saturday, I had made arrangements with the help of the Ministry to have certain items of furniture delivered that afternoon, but everything I had to bring from, I brought myself that morning in a hired van. I really didn't have that much to show for 22 years of living with Mum and Dad. Just a couple of closets worth of clothes, some books, mostly work related, I hadn't really read anything as a kid, and my laptop and games consoles which I hadn't used for so long, they were covered in dust. Mum had got me a set of saucepans and some sealable plastic containers as a house warming, technically it was from both of them, but I know it was her that got them. I left most of the boxes in the lounge as there was nowhere to store them yet and carried the one box to the kitchen and made myself the first cup of tea in my new home, and put the food staples that I had bought into the larder just of the kitchen. I hadn't managed to arrange for a fridge delivery today, that would have to wait until Monday and I had the morning off to await delivery, but it didn't feel completely empty anyway.

All utilities had been sorted out by phone over the last week. The previous owner having given his closing readings to the company as he left the day before. I had paid the previous owner a bit extra to leave some fittings behind, so at least I had carpets on the floor and curtains at most windows. I don't know what he had done with the stuff I hadn't bought, probably donated it to charity or sold some of it, as I understood he was moving in with family so wouldn't have needed much to go with.

I sat in the lounge on the edge of a packing case drinking my tea and thinking about this fresh start for me. I still had no idea of when Harry and Ginny were getting back from their honeymoon, they'd been gone three weeks now and I had heard none of the strange noises the previous owner had talked about to indicate that they were back.

Over the course of that afternoon I took delivery of a bed, a three piece suite and dining furniture, in that order. The bed had to be taken upstairs and built in the bedroom, which got a lot of moans from the delivery men as the stairs were narrower than normal and this made their job difficult, but, hey that's what they were paid to do.

After the furniture had been delivered and set up, I decided to cook myself something on the old cooker that I had purchased with the house. I wasn't feeling particularly up to cooking a full meal that night, so it was just simple beans on toast, something Mum would have cringed at, such simple fare was never served in her kitchen. As I was seated in the kitchen eating my simple meal, I was sure I saw a shadow pass by the window, but thought nothing of it.

I washed up the few crocks and things I had used and went out to the square and prepared for the journey back to Little Whinging. I had to take the van back tonight and collect my car, in which I had my new bedding and towels that I had bought for the new house.

The drive was tiring, but eventually I had the van parked in the multi storey car park where I was supposed to and the keys were in the secure post box at the company office, and I caught a bus back to Privet Drive and let myself in. Mum was sitting in the lounge watching TV and sipping at a cup of tea. "Hello Dudley, everything delivered all right then I take it? Have you eaten tonight; I can do something for you now if you want? Your father's in the bath, and probably going to make an early night of it! He seems to get tired so easily these days!"

"No thanks Mum, I ate before I left the house, I just want the stuff in my car, and to go back to the house; go home I suppose I should say. It's too soon to call it home yet though, it will be soon."

"Have you got everything you need for the house? There's nothing you want or need from us is there?"

"No Mum, I don't need anything from you. I'm going out to buy a television tomorrow and my fridge / freezer is being delivered on Monday morning, I've got everything under control."

"Ok, Dudley. I won't press you! Just do me a favour and give me a call when you get back safe and sound will you. I still worry about you."

I promised I would call and got into my car to drive it to my new home for the first time. By the time I got back I was so tired that I collapsed on the sofa after phoning Mum to tell her I was safe. The first night in my own home and I slept on the sofa, rather than the bed, how ironic.

On the Monday morning I was sat watching the new television I had bought the previous day and waiting for the delivery of my new freezer when I was sure I heard the sound of a front door closing through the window. I looked out into the square to see a familiar figure walking to the small garden in the centre of the square. There was a crack and he was gone. They were back from their honeymoon. It gave me an idea. I was going to invite them to a meal, the first time I would have guests in my new house, and I was going to try it and do it anonymously.

I wrote a letter requesting their presence to meet their new neighbour at a dinner, the following Saturday at my house, addressed the envelope to Mr. and Mrs. Potter, number 12 Grimmauld Place and kept it ready to post when I went to work later that day. Hopefully they would both be out and wouldn't receive it till that evening.

The fridge was delivered and installed on time and I set off to work on foot, dropping the letter on the front step of next door. There was no letter box in the door; I suppose that made sense if you didn't have the postman calling. What would be their reaction to this invitation, I did hope it would be good one.

That Monday saw quite a few things happening at work. The Ministry had managed to speak with Mrs. Figg over the weekend and her grandson was quite eager to try and help to create some kind of video for us to show muggle parents. He had heard stories about the magical world from his grandmother and was eager to see her stories come to life. He had seen new things at her house lately, her house elf, and the floo network and was fascinated by it all, and there was another point in his favour which he wasn't aware of yet. His daughter had been born about a week previously and the record of birth had shown itself in the register of new borns at the Ministry. Mrs. Figg's great grand-daughter was a witch.

It had also been decided that my new address should be connected to the floo network, as my walking to the Ministry every day and using the visitors' entrance might be noticed over time, and that connection would be set up at some time during this week. I wondered how this would be achieved, nobody would need to call at my property, I knew this from the year Harry was taken to the quidditch world cup. Mr. Weasley had our house connected to the floo network in order to collect Harry.

My wand was enchanted to show my picture and that I was a Social Worker for the Ministry, and it could manifest itself as other types of identification if needed. A bit like Harry had used when he called for me at the University. All my housemates had sworn they saw a Police Warrant card when Harry had shown them his Ministry ID; mine would do something similar now. Various other functions were to be added as the spells to do it were worked out or became necessary.

I made my way home that night wondering what the reaction I would get from Harry and Ginny about my invitation. The letter was still on the doorstep when I arrived back in Grimmauld Place. They obviously hadn't used the front door since I dropped the letter there earlier. I went into the house and started to prepare myself an evening meal, when there was a loud knocking at the front door. I quickly moved my dinner aside from the cooker and went to open the door.

I was confronted by the sight of Harry standing there, wand drawn, obviously wondering how the new occupant of number 11 had known his address and been able to find it. It being protected under the Fidelius Charm. I looked carefully at the wand and Harry looked over it at me, quickly putting the wand back into his robes. "Don't tell me you live here, when did you move in? Does Uncle Vernon know you're living next door to me? He'll have kittens when he finds out."

"No he doesn't know who my neighbour is and I don't think I'll tell him, Mum knows. She seems quite taken with the idea, but of course she won't tell Dad. We've both got quite good at keeping secrets from him. I think he knows or suspects I'm working for the Ministry of Magic, but I don't care. I'm doing what I want and it doesn't concern him."

"I see! I heard you got the job today at work. You certainly seem to be making a lot of things happen. Hermione tells me that you're even going to put Hogwarts on the internet. Don't you think that might be dangerous, too much exposure."

"I don't think so! It will be parents of muggleborns that we'll be introducing to the website. I am assuming that they will put some sort of magical password protection on the site, that detail hasn't been sorted out yet, but I will bring it up! I suppose I should ask you if you accept my invitation for Saturday. I'm just planning on the three of us, cooking a meal and enjoying a family get together, and you'll be my first guests in my new home."

"You'll be cooking, should I be worried? You certainly couldn't cook when I lived with your parents."

"Actually I've got to be quite good, I was quite popular with my housemates at University when it was my turn to cook in the house. Nobody has died yet from my cooking at any rate!"

"Very reassuring. Ok Dudley I accept your invitation, there is just one point I should make you aware of, there will be three of us. Teddy will be staying with us over the weekend; he usually does to give his grandmother a break. I hope that won't change your plans?"

"I can make some arrangements for him; I'll get some cola in for him, as I assume he won't drink wine like us, but nothing else should change that much!"

"Do that! He's never tried muggle pop before! It will make the evening special for him as well." With that we shook hands and he left to go back to his own home and tell Ginny about the weekend.

Over the next few days at work, plans were made for a visit to Hogwarts the following week for myself and Mrs. Figg's grandson and some employees from the ministry who would be filming certain activities going on at the school to post on the website. I was busy making plans for the dinner I was having that Saturday, all in all it was a busy week on fronts, work and domestic.

Saturday night arrived and the four of us, Harry, Ginny, Teddy and myself were sat in the lounge after an enjoyable meal with drinks and making conversation about quidditch and I told him about the exhibition I had seen in Birmingham and the conversation I overheard about Ginny playing for the Holyhead Harpies, when there was a knock at the front door. Who could this be at this time of night I wasn't expecting any visitors.

I opened the door to find myself confronted with the one person I really didn't want to see here, especially not tonight. "Hello Dudley, aren't you going to invite your father in?" he said pushing his way past me. "I was in the area and thought I'd come and see your new house." He made his way along the hall to the lounge.

"Err! Dad, it's not the best time tonight, I'm not ready for guests yet!"

"Nonsense Dudley, I don't expect anything special, just to see around your new home and see for myself how well you've done for yourself." He pushed the door to the lounge and went to enter, but stopped on the threshold. "You! What the bloody hell are you doing in Dudley's new home and who the hell is he?" he pointed at teddy sitting on the sofa between Harry and Ginny, "looks like your bloody freaky cousin has been lying to me and your mother all along! I knew there was something fishy about his wedding." He turned to Ginny, "And I suppose you're the little bimbo he got pregnant and he was obligated to marry are you?"

Ginny stood up and looked at Dad with anger in her eyes. "I will not be spoken to in that manner by anyone, and particularly not you Vernon bloody Dursley. You will apologise to me and Harry for that insult, we were invited into this house, unlike you. I heard Dudley trying to tell you he wasn't prepared to receive visitors and you forced your way in. A most uncivilised form of behaviour for anybody. You had better leave before I do something we both regret."

"oh come off it, you can't deny that's Harry bloody bastard he looks exactly like the little freak, same ridiculous hairstyle, same unnaturally green eyes." He stopped and stared at Teddy who was changing as he spoke, his hair growing and turning red and his eyes assuming the same vivid red colour. "What's happening to the bloody freak now, I knew he would be a weirdo like him." he said pointing at Harry. "Unnatural bloody freaks; shouldn't be allowed to breed in my opinion."

That was it, Harry had had enough, and he rose to his feet. "You will apologise to my wife for calling her a bimbo! You will also apologise to my godson for insulting him and will get your sorry fat ass out of this house. Dudley tried to tell you were not welcome and despite his protests you barged in, and the proceeded his insult his guests. I'm used to your insults having borne the brunt of them my whole life, but you have no need to insult anyone else."

"Well of all the ungrateful... we raise you, bring you up at considerable bloody expense I might add and this is the way you talk to me. Bloody little brat I ought to thrash you to within an inch of your life, like I should have done when you were foisted upon us as a burden on our doorstep."

"Oh! I can see a bloody great walrus like you doing me any harm. I'd be able to sort you out with both hands tied behind my back." As this argument progressed, dad had been getting redder and redder in the face and as Harry was ranting at him again, he clutched at his chest and staggered against the door frame. His face quickly going from violent red to ashen grey, his skin sweating profusely. Harry looked at him. "Oh! Crap! I think the bloody fool is having a heart attack, quick Dudley get him on the floor."

Dad was on the floor sat in the doorway looking pale and gaunt, his clothes soaked in sweat. I looked up at Harry, "I know you don't like him, but please can you help?"

Harry looked at me! The nearest hospital is St. Mungo's, but I don't think he'll want help from there. I'll summon help from there if you want it. I didn't mean this to happen; you have to see that, don't you?"

"I understand, he's been a heart attack waiting to happen for years, his doctor has told him to lose weight, but he's so bloody obstinate. Please Harry!"

Harry nodded and produced a wand and waved it, and a silver stag shot from the end. "I've called the healers, they'll floo in next door and knock your door, What about your Mum? I think you should call her."

I nodded numbly and went into the hall to call Mum at home, what was I going to tell her, what would her reaction be? If she'd known Dad was planning to come here, surely she'd have called me. What a nightmare this night was turning out to be...

Please review: I leave you with a slight cliff-hanger at this point. What will the results be of Vernon's heart attack? What about Aunt Petunia's reaction. Find out in the next chapter.


	16. Chapter 16

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think, slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 16: ANewHeart!

The phone at Privet Drive was ringing and ringing, why didn't Mum answer. The answering machine came on; "hello this is the home of Vernon and Petunia Dursley, we can't talk to you at the moment. Please leave a message after the tone and we'll get back to you."

"Mum! It's Dudley; you need to call me back its urgent!" I then decided to try her mobile phone, sometimes she forgot to charge it though, luckily not this time.

"Hello Dudley, what are you doing calling me at this time of night, nothing wrong I hope?"

"Where are you Mum? It's urgent. Dad came barging into the house tonight; unfortunately I have guests, Harry and Ginny! Dad started insulting them again and gave himself a heart attack. He's waiting for an ambulance now." There was knock on the door at this point and Ginny let the healers in to attend to Dad. "Ok! That was the healers, he's going to be taken to St. Mungo's the wizard hospital. Can you get here quickly?"

"I was at Mrs. Figg's house; I'm on the way home. I don't know how I can get there quickly. I didn't know your father was going to call on you tonight. He is supposed to be on the other side of London at some exhibition, I had no idea he'd decided to come and see you."

I looked at Harry, who was kneeling with the healers, ensuring them it was alright to take a muggle to the wizard hospital; he was a relative and knew about magic. "Is Mrs. Figg still connected to the floo network? Could Mum use it to come to yours?"

"Err! Yes she is, but my fireplace has a security spell on it. Tell her to go to the Leaky Cauldron; I'll meet her there in a few minutes." I passed the instructions on to Mum and phoned Mrs. Figg to update her on what was happening, and she told me she'd be waiting for Mum to get back to her house.

The healers looked at Harry, "he needs to get to hospital immediately. I take it there's no disapparition jinx on this property." Harry shook his head and the healers vanished with Dad between them.

Harry looked at Ginny, who was sat on the sofa with Teddy who was looking a bit overawed at, everything that was going on. His hair had changed to a brown colour, I couldn't see the colour of his eyes in this light, but that may have changed too. "Why don't you take Teddy home, I'll take Dudley and Aunt Petunia to the hospital and get back later. Ask Kreacher to set up a bedroom for her will you? She'll probably want to be near."

Ginny nodded, picked Teddy up and carried him towards the door. "Sorry about your Dad Dudley, but the healers at St. Mungo's are the best, he's in good hands." She gave me a kiss on the cheek and turned to go. To my surprise Teddy held his arms out to me and gave me a kiss as well. This was turning out to be a surprising day in several ways.

Harry took my hand, "brace yourself Dudley, we're going to apparate to the Leaky Cauldron. I closed my eyes and waited for the familiar crushing feeling. Seconds later we were on the Charing Cross Road outside the familiar entrance to the wizarding world.

Harry went into the pub and came out with Mum looking anxious following him. "Do you have any news yet? How is he? Where exactly are we going to?"

"You'll need your card out to protect you from muggle repelling charms, we're going to St. Mungo's hospital, don't be surprised when you see the entrance it looks the same to wizards as well." With the familiar crushing feeling we were somewhere else. Standing on a deserted shopping street, outside a large department store. The sign said 'Purge & Dowse Ltd.' it looked like it hadn't been open in years, indeed there were notices on the doors that said closed for refurbishment. "We're here to see Vernon Dursley, emergency admission!" I looked in astonishment as one of the manikins in the window beckoned us is in. Harry pulled us through the large display window. It felt extremely uncomfortable like walking through a wall of cobwebs.

I shuddered and brushed at my face to dispel the cobwebs that covered it, but was surprised there was nothing there. I looked around the room we were in. It looked like a normal reception in any muggle Accident and Emergency department, uncomfortable looking seats included. I looked at a sign alongside reception:

ARTEFACT ACCIDENTS... Ground Floor

_Cauldron explosion, wand backfiring broom_

_crashes, etc_

CREATURE INDUCED INJURIES ... First Floor

_Bites, stings, burns, embedded spines, etc_

MAGICAL BUGS ... Second Floor

_Contagious Maladies, e.g. dragon pox,_

_vanishing sickness, scrofungulus etc_

POTION AND PLANT POISONING ... Third Floor

_Rashes, regurgitation, uncontrollable_

_giggling, etc._

SPELL DAMAGE ... Fourth Floor

_Unfixable jinxes, hexes, incorrectly_

_applied charms, etc_

VISITORS' TEAROOM / HOSPITAL SHOP ... Fifth Floor

IF YOU ARE UNSURE WHERE TO GO, INCAPABLE OF  
>NORMAL SPEECH OR UNABLE TO REMEMBER WHY YOU<br>ARE HERE, OUR WELCOME WITCH WILL BE PLEASED  
>TO HELP<p>

Harry, Mum and I made our way to the welcome witch, "we're here to see, Vernon Dursley, a muggle relative brought in suffering from a heart attack."

"Hmm! We don't many muggles in here, he's on the fourth floor, spell damage, usually the only time we have to deal with this sort of injury, Nicholas Flamel Ward. Lift is second door on the left."

We thanked her and made our way to the lift, opening what looked like a wooden house door to enter a lift large enough to accommodate a large bed and a full complement of staff, just like a muggle hospital. The only difference being the carpeted floor and candles providing the lighting. Harry pressed the button for the fourth floor and with a slow clunking ht lift began its journey upwards. It felt like it was going to come crashing down to the floor any minute. Next time I'll take the stairs.

The lift eventually stopped and the door and the door opened outwards onto a brightly lit corridor. We looked around to find the appropriate ward. Mum spotted it off to the right and we made to the door. The sign read: _Nicholas__Flamel__Ward:__Spell__Damage._A hand written sign underneath read: _Healer__in__Charge:__Augustus__Pye:__Trainee__Healer:__Ernie__MacMillan._ As we went to push the doors open they swung aside on their own and we were in what looked like the sort of hospital that was built in the Victorian era. Poky little windows, not supplying much light and some sort of globe giving out a flickering yellow light near the ceiling.

There was only half a dozen beds on the ward and only one was occupied, several wizards in green robes were hanging round it and we made our way over.

"Are you family?" asked a tall blonde wizard in his early thirties, "I must say there is quite considerable damage to his heart. We've been checking very carefully, several arteries are either blocked or nearly so. I can't see as if we can do much with him as it stands." At this Mum let out a sob. "I was going to say that the only real option is to grow him a new heart, we will need to keep him in for several days, a week at least, as we'd like to keep him in a magically induced coma whilst his new heart is growing in place. Normally you understand this could be done at home, but the damage is dreadful."

"What are his chances of survival? Are there any complications that could come from this?" Mum said, looking at her feet as if she feared the worst.

"I don't think so, Mrs. Dursley, is it?" he looked at Mum, who nodded meekly, normally such a procedure takes about a week, and for a while both hearts are working, and the old one is reabsorbed by the body after the new one takes over. In your husband's case, the damage is major and to prevent further damage sand complications we really would prefer to keep him here under constant monitoring. If you want to insist of course, we could send him home under strict orders to take it easy, to allow the new heart to grow in place."

"Oh no! I mean it would be best if he stayed here, under your care! I want the best for him, but I don't know what his attitude will be afterwards."

"That won't change! Can't think why you think it should. It's a reasonable simple procedure, no complications of change of personality afterwards!"

Mum looked at me in a pleading manner. I looked at the healer and tried to explain. "My father hates magic. He's the most intolerant person I've ever met, if he found out that magic saved his life, he would probably be of the opinion you'd used him in some sort of barbaric experiment or something. In his eyes magic has no redeeming qualities. If it wasn't for Harry's help he would probably be in a muggle hospital awaiting surgery."

"Err! What's surgery? Sounds barbaric!"

At this point, a slightly familiar voice from the back of the group of healers piped up. "If I may try to explain, Augustus, the procedure Mr. Dursley might be awaiting is called a heart bypass; the doctor would cut open his chest and replace the damaged blood vessels of the heart with pieces of blood vessel taken from elsewhere in the body. You generally hear of muggles having had a triple or even quadruple heart bypass, that is three or four blood vessels replaced in this way. My granddad had one about ten years ago."

The lead healer looked as if he might be sick; "that is positively disgusting, who would think to cut open someone's chest and put bits of leg or arm in their heart. Really muggles are so primitive!"

Mum and I agreed with him and Mum signed the appropriate consents for Dad to be kept in and have a new heart grown. I went to the rear of the healers and spoke to the healer who'd spoken out bout muggle medicine. An old acquaintance from Tinworth, Ernie, we'd met at Justin's birthday party. I wanted Dad to receive the best in care, including reassuring him that no magic was involved. He'd go out go his mind in fear, and rage if he thought he'd been tithe 'victim' of magic. A little harmless deception for his own good. I hoped Ernie would be able to help in this deception.

After much discussion with Ernie a plan of action was decided upon and he had to convince his superior to allow it to be carried out. Not an easy option, he was most vehemently opposed to stitches, apparently having seen them before in another case, couldn't condone their use now. Harry piped up that the case in question did have other complications, being some sort of venom in the wound preventing healing, but he wouldn't allow it.

Mum surprised me at this point and asked if he could see the positive use of stitches, might he reconsider, he seemed to waiver slightly. Mum coughed slightly and asked everyone to excuse her and the non healers present turned away. I heard a comment of, "amazing that really is quite neat, if I may ask what was done Mrs. Dursley?"

Mum coughed again and everyone turned back to the conversation. "I had my appendix removed several years ago. Of course that's quite a small scar, but you can see it healed well. There was I understand several layers of stitches under the skin as well, those are absorbed by the body. They top layer are usually taken out after about a week to ten days."

After consideration of this, healer Pye agreed that for Dad's piece of mind, that the subterfuge could take place, Mum and I breathed a sigh of relief. I really couldn't have stood it if Dad thought he'd been subjected to magic. One thing Mum and I were both agreed on however was telling him that Harry had saved his life by his prompt action in getting him to a hospital. It might pave the way to a better understanding between him and Dad in the future, but then again knowing Dad maybe not. All he'd remember was the argument that caused his heart attack but it might help.

Harry looked at the clock on the wall, it was now 2:30 in the morning, "Ernie!" he asked, "is everything ok? Can we leave now? Only it's been a long day."

"No problem, but you'll need to go downstairs and out through the lobby, there's a disapparition jinx over the hospital, patient safety and security you understand." Harry just grinned at him and took mine and Mums hands and we were in his front room in Grimmauld Place.

Mum followed Kreacher to the room he had set aside for her; and I set out for my own front door and let myself in; this had certainly been an eventful day. My first guests in my new house, Dad appearing and insulting Harry and Ginny, and giving himself a heart attack. St. Mungo's was certainly a good hospital, it was such a pity that we had to trick him into believing he was in a normal muggle hospital.

I was glad that Harry had been there to help. It was the same thing he had done for me with the dementors, but I knew Dad wouldn't accept it the same way. It had been the same when he saved me. All Dad could see was that it was because of Harry that I was attacked. Him saving me, never registered in his mind. He only ever ssaw the negative aspects of magic. I remember when Harry had got me back after the dementor attack; Dad was immediately on the offensive. He couldn't see the fact that without Harry I would be good as dead, why wouldn't he admit Harry had saved my life.

I hoped that Dad would be alright, he was an ignorant bastard, but he was still my Dad and I loved him in spite of his faults.

Please review: I enjoy reading what my readers think of my literary efforts. Your ideas and opinions matter to me. Part of the plot idea of this chapter was suggested by lyaser53, I had always pictured Vernon having some kind of 'illness' but it was his idea to have Harry be there to help.


	17. Chapter 17

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think, slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

A/N: I apologise to my readers who will have read chapter 16, about the copy of the sign in St. Mungo's, I had put in several full stops or periods as some may call them, like JK Rowling, however it seems the editors at fanfiction edited this in their wisdom to '...'. The sign did read the same way as in The Order of The Phoenix. Ahh! Well. That's proofreaders for you.

Chapter 17: VisitingHoursatSt.Mungo's.

The next morning, Mum told me that she had accepted the offer from Harry and Ginny to stay at theirs for the duration of Dad's illness and would be going back home with the help of Kreacher to fetch herself some clothing etc that she would need. It was better I suppose that she would be staying with Harry, after all, I didn't have anywhere for her to sleep at mine, except the sofa, I hadn't set up any furniture in any of the other bedrooms yet. The smallest was still full of boxes of games consoles and games that I hadn't bothered to unpack yet.

There was a knock on my door a little after Mum had given me her news and I opened the door to find Ginny standing on my doorstep. She extended an invitation for me to join them and Teddy for Sunday dinner. I was glad of the invite; I honestly didn't feel like cooking today. Trust Dad to turn up and give himself a bloody heart attack in the middle of the nice evening that I was having with my family and neighbours.

I followed her back to number twelve and was surprised when she got her wand out to open the front door; it was only then that I noticed there was no keyhole in the door as well as no letterbox. Strange I hadn't noticed that the other day. Ginny opened the door and let me in, I was almost trampled by the five year old Teddy, running straight at me, his hair changing from black to blonde as he did so.

"Uncle Dudley, have you brought me some of that cola stuff like I had last night?"

"I looked at Harry, "Uncle Dudley, where did he get that from?"

harry grinned, "don't ask me, I told him you where my cousin, he calls me Uncle Harry, so I suppose it just came naturally to him." he knelt next to Teddy, "Now, Teddy, it's not nice to run at people like that and ask if they've brought you something. Remember, Dudley's daddy was taken to hospital last night, so he's probably not thought about things like cola. Apologise to him like the gentleman I know you were raised to be."

"Sorry, Uncle Dudley," Teddy said looking at his shoes.

I laughed he looked so funny trying to apologise and look so grown up. "Err! Harry, I've still got the rest of the bottle, in the fridge next door, I don't touch it these days, too much sugar," I patted my stomach. "I can nip back and fetch it, if you don't mind him having it!" After a nod from Harry I popped back to get the half bottle of cola from last night and brought it back for Teddy.

The five of us had a nice Sunday dinner, I have to admit Kreacher was a good cook, Mum was quite taken with Teddy and was all over him, he seemed to enjoy being spoiled a bit, but I did notice that his appearance didn't alter to match hers. But she was extremely pleased with her 'great-nephew' and how clever he was.

The conversation eventually turned to St. Mungo's and Dad. "What are visiting hours, there Harry, we'll both want to go in to see him?" Apparently the visiting hours were not restricted although it was requested that visitors respected meal and bed times, to give the patients and staff time to do whatever they needed to do. So Mum and I decided that we would go later that afternoon to see Dad. We knew from our conversation with the healers last night that Dad was going to be told he was in a private hospital and had had a quintuple bypass. This little fiction was to stop him ranting about freaks and upsetting the healers and other patients. It had even been agreed by the main healer Augustus Pye to make some surgical-like-incisions on his chest and legs to make him think he'd been through such a traumatic procedure, his legs being where the 'replacement blood vessels' had been taken from.

I did wonder about wand use by healers though and questioned this as well. It seems that healers keep their wands strapped to their arm, allowing both hands to be free if needed, but still have use of magic when needed, they were aware that obvious magic around Dad was not encouraged and had agreed to this. Mum and I were grateful. It was bad enough that he'd be a grumpy sod about the heart operation, but having him rant and rave about freaks and bloody wizards was not wanted, and wouldn't be appreciated by the staff either.

Harry took our wands and waved his own over them and they gave off familiar blue glow and returned to normal. "I've made them into portkeys for you; they'll take you to the hospital and bring you back. Don't worry about the timing aspect of it, I've made so the return will activate when you get back to the street, rather than a specific time."

Dad was sat up in bed looking a lot better than he had the last time I saw him, there was the remains of a meal in front of him and to my surprise he had a needle in the back of his left hand. I didn't think wizards used needles, I didn't know for sure but I was sure they used drinkable potions, I'd check with the healers later.

"How are you feeling Dad?" I asked as we walked up to his bed carrying a couple of chairs that seemed standard in all hospitals for visitors. I sat in mine, but was surprised it certainly felt a lot more comfortable than usual hospital fare.

"A lot better than I expected after last night, what happened to me? I remember shouting at that bloody freak in your house, and the next thing I remember is waking up here, with a bloody great bandage on my chest."

"You had a heart attack Dad, a bad one! Apparently the doctors had to perform emergency surgery to save your life. You had a quintuple heart bypass last night."

"And it's all that bloody Potter's fault. I told you he was no good Petunia; surely you can see that now?"

"Actually no Vernon, I don't see. You forced your way into Dudley's house last night, insulted his cousin, who happened to be his guest and strained your heart. You gave yourself the heart attack. Harry called the ambulance to get you to hospital and helped Dudley with CPR until the paramedics arrived. If it hadn't been for him, you'd probably have died last night."

"Hmm! If he hadn't been there, I wouldn't have had the bloody heart attack, I still say it's the fault of that bloody freak and his no good friends. What hospital am I in anyway? Doesn't look like any one I know."

"It's a private hospital, St. Mungo's, it was the nearest one to Dudley's last night and thankfully our medical insurance will cover the expense. The only reason I managed to be here last night was because of Harry as well, he arranged for me to get here quickly, if not it's quite possible you might have died before they could operate on you. I had to sign the consent forms as your next of kin as your were unconscious, not to mention sorting out the insurance details. You're lucky to be alive."

"I'm just glad he didn't send me to some bloody freak hospital of his sort. I prefer a proper hospital, no bloody wand waving rubbish, proper medicine, not the local bloody witch doctor. You know where you are with real qualified doctors."

Mum sighed, "If you say so Vernon, I don't believe I appreciate the difference any more. If they do the same job, save your life and get you better, it shouldn't matter!"

"oh come off it Petunia, it's not bloody natural to wave a bleeding stick and make things happen, and god only knows what medicines they use, eye of newt, tongue of bat; I shouldn't wonder. Give me honest real world medicine any day; you know where you are with that."

Our conversation was interrupted by Ernie coming upto Dad with a kidney dish in his hand, "Mr. Dursley, it's time for your pain medication, do you mind if I give it with your relatives here, or would you rather they left?"

"No, they needn't leave I'm sure they've someone have an injection before!"

Ernie smiled, "no problem," he reached into the kidney dish and pulled out a wand, I looked at Dad, but there was no reaction. Ernie touched the wand to the needle in Dad's arm and then gave him a glass of some red looking liquid, "you'll need to drink this as well, it's an anti nausea drug, unfortunately that can't be injected."

Dad drank down the glassful of medicine, "doesn't taste that bad, that stuff. Thanks!"

Ernie smiled and made to depart. "I'm just going to talk with the doctor Dad, I won't be long!" I followed Ernie from the ward. "What's with the wand, I thought he'd freak when you pulled that out."

"We performed a quick spell on him last night whilst he was unconscious. He got the first potion he needed to have spelled into him as is often needed, but we performed a little trick with his vision. He sees what he expects to see! He thinks I injected medicine into him for pain, but in reality he drank the potion for pain medication and continued growth of his new heart. Nothing went into his veins. It's a bit like with the Leaky Cauldron, muggles don't notice it, your Dad didn't notice the wand, he saw a syringe."

"Right! Clever! Something else occurred to me today. You went to Hogwarts the year Voldemort's followers were in control, so you're pure-blood, how come your granddad needed a heart bypass? Why didn't he get this potion?"

"He did after the fact, he had his heart attack in a muggle street and some passerby called a muggle ambulance. He was taken to a muggle hospital and they performed the surgery as an emergency to save his life. He's quite proud of his scars, calls them his brush with primitive muggles. After he came out of the hospital he had the potion at home, a healer called to give it to him daily. It was just useful last night, so I mentioned it to healer Pye. Sometimes I think we underestimate muggles too much."

"I agree, that's part of what I'm trying to do in my new job. Hermione Granger is of the sane opinion. We're going to get Hogwarts on the internet shortly for muggle parents to see the school before they have to send their kids there."

"Isn't that dangerous! I know muggles as a whole aren't a threat to us anymore, which was the original reason the Statute of Secrecy was brought in, but we don't want muggles coming to us to help with every little problem."

"I don't think that much, we're planning to make it password protected, magically. The password will be put into the parent's computers, by some sort of spell; they won't be able to give it to anyone. Should keep it secret from muggles in general."

"Clever! Listen, I need some information from you! I know my granddad had these stitches in, but I don't actually remember how they were removed and when. He never talked about that bit. What do we do?" I explained how the stitches were cut with a small knife and pulled out individually, usually after 7-10 days and Ernie nodded. "Ok! That sounds logical. I'll pass the information on to healer Pye and we'll see how his wound heals. Shouldn't take that long actually, at least we didn't have to break his ribs like happened with granddad. Thanks for that info!"

"How's he doing? I mean how's the treatment progressing?"

"He's doing fine, the new heart has started to grow in place, it's about the size of a newborn's at the moment, but it will continue to grow as he takes the potion. When his 'pain' has lessened and he no longer needs to have IV medication for that, we'll change to oral pain medication, really just give the potion a different flavouring. He'll be fine, don't worry." I thanked him and made my way back into the ward.

"What was all that about Dudley?" asked Dad as I went back and sat by his bedside.

"Just checking how it went. I mean you had major surgery last night. I was just checking you weren't going to keel over from some major complication or something. You don't need to worry, the bypass went well, and they're pleased with your progress so far. You're not out of the woods yet, but there's nothing unforeseen on the horizon. So that's good news!"

"How long before I can leave hospital and get back to work, don't like to spend time doing nothing. It's not natural!"

"I didn't ask, but I seem to remember hearing that after such an operation you need to spend some time convalescing afterwards, and you're going to do that, whether you like it or not. You've got responsible people at Grunnings who can handle things in your absence, so no reason why you can't recover at home as you need."

"But, Dudley."

"No buts Vernon! You're going to obey the doctor's instructions even if I have to tie you to a chair myself. I have no wish to go through something like this again. Do you understand me?"

"Yes Petunia! But..."

"No buts Vernon. You will obey the doctors for once in your life, and when you get out, it's a healthier diet for you. Your own doctors have been telling you for years to get a healthier lifestyle, well now you're going to, like it or not. Do you understand me?" I could almost hear the steel in her voice with that last statement."

"Yes dear! But I do hope this doesn't mean bloody rabbit food every meal, or even worse ruddy grapefruits like Dudley was forced to eat by the school nurse."

"I don't think that will be necessary, but you will get a healthier diet and lifestyle even if I have to force feed it to you. Are we clear on that?" Dad agreed looking rather sheepish. I stared hard at Mum; I had never seen her be so forceful with Dad. Even when she'd told him not to insult Harry or talk about him in such a derogatory way after our exile in Tinworth, she hadn't been so forceful. "Oh and dear, I expect Harry may visit you! If he does, you will not insult him, call him a freak, insult him or his wife in any way, is that understood. If it wasn't for him, you'd probably be dead. So show him some respect, will you!" She didn't put the 'or else' onto the end of the sentence, but it was quite obvious it was there. "now, it's time for us to go, I'll see you tomorrow and I'm sure Dudley will, if he's not busy with work, I understand he's got some work to do away from home for a couple of days."

Dad nodded in mute understanding and we left him sitting up in bed, Mum giving him a quick kiss and I gave him a hug and we carried out chairs back to the ward entrance and made our way outside the hospital. As soon as we were outside the hospital, we experienced the now familiar feeling of a hook behind our belly button and we fell forward into Harry's lounge.

"Good evening, master Dudley, madam; Master Harry sends his apologies, he and mistress Ginny are taking young master Teddy home, they won't be long! Can Kreacher get you anything?"

"No thank you, Kreacher," Mum replied, I think I'll make myself a cup of tea and sit and wait for Harry and Ginny to return. I need to ask them something about Vernon's new heart. I thought of something as we were leaving and I didn't see one of his healers to ask!"

"I can make you a cup of tea, madam, Kreacher is only too glad to be of service!"

"I know you are Kreacher, and I'm grateful for that, but I need to relax and making a cup of tea is all part of enjoying it, you can come with me to the kitchen if you like. We can talk while the tea brews.

I excused myself saying I wanted to get home and sort some paper work out for the morning and made my way home. I couldn't understand Mum's liking for tea, I'd never developed a liking for it as a kid, preferring cola or lemonade, I'll drink it when its offered but these days I drank mainly coffee or water.

I made some notes about the Hogwarts visit, some things we needed to show on the website, dormitories, lessons, quidditch, etc and sat drinking a cup of coffee. I wondered what Mum was worried about, something concerning Dad obviously, I knew she didn't want to tell him the truth, that was out of the question at this stage so, what could be going through her mind. No matter how much I thought about it, the answer wasn't coming to me, so it came as a relief when Harry called me over to join the for a light tea.

Mum had apparently wondered what Dad's own muggle doctor would say about the fact that he had a new fully functional heart instead of his old worn out one. The heart muscle and new heart he was growing was not going to seem that much different from his old one. It grew from his cells after all, in much the same way that skin or fingernails did. If we managed to get him to live a healthier lifestyle, it would seem like that had made the difference. All the 'crap' in his old blood vessels being cleared through this, it wasn't as if his heart would suddenly be like a teenagers again.

Reassured about this conundrum that had obviously bothered her since leaving the hospital, she made her way eventually to the guest room and I left for my own house. I really hoped we would get down to some real work at the ministry soon. All these meetings were becoming tedious and I wanted to do something. Only time would tell, the same with Dad, would he eventually come round to accept Harry and magic, or remain a real pain in the...

Author Note: it should be appreciated by some readers, that 'tea' in some respects can refer to a cup of tea or in other cases the light evening meal of meal of perhaps sandwiches and a drink. This distinction as 'high or afternoon tea' was usually when those who could afford to drink tea when it first came to England would have such a meal around 4 in the afternoon, having a proper cooked dinner around 8.

Please review: I can't believe it, I already have more reviews for this story than I got for my first and I've still not finished and I'm very flattered that so many have put it on Story Alert for when a new chapter is posted. I do hope I won't disappoint you in the future. Do continue to enjoy.


	18. Chapter 18

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think, slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 18: Videos,VandalsAndVisits.

Filming for the Hogwarts website had been harder than I anticipated; I never would have believed we could need so much. To show the curriculum available we ended up filming classes for two days, just to get a snippet of each class. Gods, but History of Magic was boring, I had found some of it in the books I'd read to be actually interesting, but that Professor Binns was as inspiring as paint drying. I'm sure my snores will be heard on the video along with most of the students' I'm sure.

Hagrid's care of magical creatures was fascinating to me, we ended up filming quite a bit there, showing some of the fascinating creatures in the magical world, unicorns, bowtruckles and even a hippogriff called Witherwings, for some reason.

We managed to get headmistress McGonagall to allow a special quidditch match as the season wouldn't normally start until the end of October, but we did want to include it in the site. It was quite a good game, between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, apparently one of the matches where spontaneous violence between houses was not anticipated. Gryffindor and Slytherin was apparently the best match to watch for that. I even got to see the Gryffindor common room and dormitories, being shown round by a Gryffindor prefect. The dormitories at Hogwarts were a lot better than at my old school Smeltings; there the students had been in dorms of up to twenty students, in regimented rows of beds, the students at Hogwarts had four posters, with generous bed space.

After three hard days of filming, Mrs. Figg's grandson, Daniel, assured me that he had enough material to put together a comprehensive picture of the school for the website that could be informative, so we made our way by floo back to the ministry, Daniel taking the film with him to work on building up a website.

I took the floo back to my house which had been connected during my absence. It was quite daunting to think how much magic I was getting myself into. Because I had been gone for four days though, I found that I needed to get certain supplies in and went to get into my car which had been parked in the square, only to find the windows smashed and tyres slit, and the interior a burnt wreck. I knocked forlornly on Harry's front door, to find out if he knew anything.

It seemed that on the Tuesday night there had been a noise in the middle of the night and by the time they got down to check, my car had been in flames. Harry had managed to put the flames out, but most of the damage had been done. There was apparently no magic that could restore my car, without affecting it quite inadvertently in many ways, which would bring me to the attention of the Misuse of Magical Artefacts office. So here I was now without transport, at least for a while until the insurance was sorted out.

I walked despondently to the local shops, and back with several bags of heavy shopping, that really was quite a bitter end to what had been an exhausting week. The first bad thing happening to me since I'd moved here, Dad having his heart attack hadn't happened to me, and anyway it had only been a matter of time for that. I had been thinking about my transport needs though; it was increasingly obvious to me that I was going to need some mode of transport with a far greater range than my car. If I was expected to cover the whole country I would need something faster as well.

I was lamenting that fact to Harry on the Saturday after my visit to Hogwarts, when he said he thought he might have a solution. "I hope you aren't thinking of a broom, I was quite happy to ride one during our quidditch match at New Year, but I'm not flying one all over the country, thank you very much?"

"No, another solution, one I've actually used twice in my life, and technically speaking it's mine now." With this cryptic statement, he told me to call on him the following day about noon and we'd be making a bit of a journey by floo. I must admit the bit of a mystery was intriguing.

That Sunday, Harry had called just after breakfast to say that Mum and I were both invited to dine at The Burrow, with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and their son Ron, who was now the only one of their children still living at home; he and Ginny would also be there along with Teddy who was with them for the weekend as usual.

Mum was fascinated in part by The Burrow, but at the same time I could see that in some way she was bit put out. It was probably the state of the house. Privet Drive and the house we lived in, in Tinworth, had been immaculate. You could have eaten your dinner off the floor, you probably could have done the same in The Burrow, but the house looked cluttered, and lived in. Mum's idea of how a house should be was that everything should be used and put away immediately, but here there was projects left lying around and a pair of knitting needles were happily knitting away on their own.

We enjoyed an excellent meal, and Mum and Mrs. Weasley were getting on like old friends, discussing recipes and the Weasley children when they were younger. I left with Harry and Mr. Weasley as they mysteriously asked me to follow them after the meal. We went out to a normal looking garden shed at the bottom of the garden and Mr. Weasley opened it with his wand and a whispered "Alohamora."

The inside of the shed was bigger than the outside, and I laughed, "Who'd have thought it, wizards had dimensionally transcendental buildings." Both Harry and Mr. Weasley looked at me in puzzlement. I explained to them about Dr. Who, a television program I used to watch on cable and his ship, the TARDIS, which was bigger on the inside that the outside and they saw my point.

After this point, Mr. Dursley led me to the back if the shed, where there was what looked like a broken motorcycle, in several pieces. "This belonged to Harry's godfather, Sirius Black, I collected the pieces after he came here at the beginning of his seventh year, and I was going to study it, but lost interest when I discovered its secret." He lifted the seat and there were two brooms under it, continuing into the petrol tank. Mr. Weasley opened the engine housing from the side and it was big enough to fit several bags of shopping. "It doesn't use petrol, not having a real engine, because it's a modified broom, it didn't fall under the misuse of muggle artefacts office's jurisdiction, but it can be driven a road vehicle, technically you fly at ground level."

"I remember you talking about a dream of a flying motorbike when we were younger, is this the same one?"

Harry nodded and laughed, "Yep! It is, I never knew about its construction until later, Arthur told me about twelve months ago. Sirius was obsessed with certain aspects of the muggle world, mainly motorbikes; I think to annoy his parents, who were all for wizard purity and anti muggle. This was one act of rebellion on his part."

"So! What are you suggesting?"

"Well, I don't like motor bikes, and Arthur lost interest in it, when it was revealed that it wasn't a real muggle motorbike, so it's just sitting in the shed gathering dust. Now legally, it's never been registered as a motor bike, but that shouldn't be too difficult. It's a custom made vehicle, so the insurance might be higher, but we can get round that, by 'fitting' the best alarms and immobilisers to it that muggle science has come up with. It can be registered with the DVLA and a proper number plate bought for it. The flight will be useful to you in travelling all over the country, and you can drive on normal roads as well if you wish. What do you think?"

"Well, I'd like to try it out first, but it sounds great, I've always wanted a motorbike, but passed my driving test for a car. Can you imagine the look on Dad's face when I turn up on a flying motorbike?" Harry and Mr. Weasley moved the bike from the shed and I got on and looked for the ignition, there wasn't one. "Err! Harry how do I start it?"

Harry looked a little sheepish, "err! Never thought about that, it would respond to a wizard like a broom, obeying body movements to guide it, when Hagrid drove it from Privet Drive, he never thought about that aspect of it, not being used to muggle technology probably never thought about it and I never noticed until now."

I took the wand from my wallet, "what about this, I could ride broom whilst it was round my neck, remember, can this help?"

Harry took the wand from me, touched his own to the bike and a credit card sized slot appeared on the handlebars. He slid my wand into the slot and the bike started to sound like a real motor bike. I jumped astride and set off round the property, pulling up in front of Harry after a few minutes. "How would I get it to fly?"

"Just pull up on the handlebars, if it responds the same was a normal broom, that should work, to land just push the handlebars down again, the same as when we played that quidditch game. Just be aware of where the ground is."

With my new instructions in my mind, I set off round the property again, but took to the air at the earliest opportunity and flew round the property boundaries and then headed back to the ground. I pulled up in front of Harry, wincing slightly as I did. "I see what you mean about the ground, I'll have to practice landing if I want kids in the future!"

"I did warn you? I think that the only thing you've injured was your pride!"

"I think I'll need to get proper safety gear, a helmet, leathers and some gloves, but I think I could get to like this. I've even thought of a number plate for the bike, I think it'll be appropriate. I want the registration 'BR00M'. I hope we can get it."

"That should be easy, the ministry has certain number plates for its vehicles and I think they have a number of brooms, and several magics for their use. What about the model name of your bike? Given that any thought?"

"I've no idea, what model are the brooms?"

"Silver Arrows. They're not the most modern of brooms, but they were a good model in their time. I can have them checked over by the experts at Quality Quidditch Supplies, but they should still be airworthy. But we could get it all sorted out by Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest. What do you think; would you be up for riding a motorbike instead of a broom?"

"I'd love it. A flying motorbike would be the best. I liked the flying in that quidditch match we played, but the thought of sitting on a broom for hours didn't appeal to me. This should be a lot more me, and hopefully a lot more 'normal' when I turn up to see the parents of muggleborns, so long as I don't land on their front lawns."

When we got back in from the shed, Ginny and Ron were playing exploding snap with Teddy, who seemed to be winning; I suspect some form of cheating was going on there, possibly not, he was quite a precocious boy. Mum and Mrs. Weasley were apparently in the kitchen drinking tea and gossiping still.

The day had certainly been a good one, not only had Mum spent time with our magical in laws, but I was getting a new mode of transport that could be of use to me at work, but it was about to take a change for the worst.

Mum came from the kitchen when she heard me talking to Ron and Ginny however and announced that it was time for us to go home; we really should visit Dad in the hospital.

Harry looked at us and made a surprising announcement, "he's already got a visitor at the moment, but I'm sure he'd appreciate you calling in to see him too!"

"Who else is visiting him? I thought nobody knew the hospital he was in, apart from wizards and none of them are liable to visit him?"

Harry looked a little sheepish at this, "it's not a wizard visitor, it's Aunt Marge. I contacted her on your behalf. She was shocked to find out you hadn't called her to let her know of her little brother's condition. I managed to convince her it was all worry on your part, and not wanting to upset her. Anyway, to cut a long story short, she insisted on coming to visit him. Since there is no way any muggle transport could find the place, I arranged for a 'taxi'" he made air quotes at the word taxi, "to collect her and deliver her to the hospital. The taxi in question is actually a ministry car, but she was quite impressed with the fact that I was willing to pay the fare both ways from her home in Surrey to London. Quite impressed that I'm apparently doing quite well for myself in law enforcement too, apologised for her attitude to me when I was younger. I'm not such a bad sort as she expected."

"Bloody hell Harry, you've accomplished a miracle there! She was even more against you than Dad as I recall, and she didn't know about the real reason he was so against you."

"That helped, her not knowing about magic, the ministry car that picked her up helped too. She thought she was getting in a proper cab. The fare that she thinks I'm paying is nearly a hundred pounds each way. The driver will have cast a slight Confundus charm on her while she was in it, so she doesn't notice anything odd about the entrance to St. Mungo's when she entered. The fact that I was willing to pay nearly 200 pounds to allow her to visit her sick brother, despite her treatment of me, made an excellent impression on her."

"It must have done! Oh well, I suppose Mum and I should go and see Dad and probably confront Marge as well?"

We used the floo, all five of us to go back to our appropriate homes and Mum and I took a taxi to St. Mungo's. The muggle driver did look at us a little oddly though when we were dropped off in the middle of the street in front of a closed shop. We entered through the illusion after the taxi had left and made our way to the ward to confront my least favourite relatives."

Aunt Marge noticed us as we entered the ward and pointed us out to Dad who was looking a little peeved. "Look who it is, my favourite neffy poo, and Petunia; well I must say I'm most disappointed in you pair not telling me about Vernon."

"but Marge, from what he told us at Christmas, you were quite ill, we weren't going to be responsible for both of you being in different hospitals miles apart," said Mum remembering what Harry had told us at The Burrow.

"Well I can understand that; but I must admit Petunia I was extremely surprised to hear from your nephew, Harry, telling me about it. I really didn't think he'd want anything to do with the family after he just abandoned you that year. I mean I didn't hear a thing off you when you vanished for nearly a year. I still haven't received a proper explanation for that either."

Mum looked at me, obviously wondering we were going to tell her. I decided to tell her part of the truth. "It all stems back to when Harry was a boy and left with us after his parents died in that car crash. It seems the fellow who was responsible for the car crash, was imprisoned at the time, but managed to escape at some point; the whole family was moved into protective custody. We couldn't tell you where we were. Towards the end of the year, the madman was killed avoiding arrest and eventual return to prison; so we were given the choice of remaining where we were or returning home. We chose the latter."

"Why that is so preposterous it almost makes sense, but why did he kill Harry's parents. I just thought it was some sort of accident, what with him being a drunken layabout, that's what you told me Petunia."

Mum looked apprehensive for a moment, then took up the story we were spinning, "I didn't know myself, until the authorities told us, apparently Harry's father had been some sort of police officer working undercover in some drug cartel, that's why he always looked so disreputable. The fellow who caused the accident was apparently someone high up in the organisation, and mainly responsible for his death. After the accident, the evidence that James had managed to gather and the fact he had been killed in the line of duty was enough to bring the whole nasty business to a close. His father and Lily got a proper department funeral and everything. Of course I only found out later."

"Sounds fascinating, but what about that school you said he went to St. Brutus' or something of the like? Some school for criminals you said?"

"A misunderstanding on our part, the school was St. Brutus', some special academy for victims of criminals, unfortunately, we assumed the worst. It was all paid for as some sort of scholarship by the police force."

"Well I must say the boy seems to have done quite well for it! I understand he's some sort of police officer himself these days. He wasn't too specific when he called me the other day, bit secretive about it."

"Yes, he's some sort of plain clothes officer, counter terrorisms, drugs that sort of thing! Quite a good job for someone so soon out of school, but I can say I'm proud of him now. Vernon's still prejudiced, but I have hopes of that changing, eventually."

"I should hope so, from what I hear, he's responsible for Vernon getting into this private hospital. I must admit it certainly gives a good impression of itself."

"Humph! It was his bloody fault I'm in here. If he hadn't poked his nose into things that don't concern him. Dudley would have a proper job with me at Grunnings and not working as some bleeding do-gooder for the ministry."

"What exactly is your job Dudley? All Vernon tells me is this do gooder rubbish!"

I pulled the wand from my wallet and handed it to her, hoping it wouldn't give too much away, she studied it myopically for a few minutes. "This says you're a Ministry appointed social worker and ambassador, sounds impressive. But what does it mean?"

"I'm employed by the ministry as a social worker and the ambassadorial part is in case I need to deal with another nation, or people. I don't think I've got diplomatic immunity or anything, but I have helped out with a nation of people who had some sort of grudge with the authorities. I managed to find a solution that was beneficial to both sides."

"Always knew you'd make good for yourself Duddykins. Must say I'm proud of you, no matter what Vernon might say." Huh! Who was this woman and what had she done with my Aunt? She certainly looked like her, but her attitude was completely different from what I expected. "I must find some way of apologising to that nephew of yours Petunia, I was abominable to him in the past, of course, and you were the same!"

"Yes! Well we've made our apologies to him and he's forgiven us, Dudley was even best man at his wedding."

"He's married. Well I must say, he does keep secrets. Any sign of that on the horizon for you Dudders. I always thought your cousin was socially awkward, but he seems to have got a jump on you there."

"Not yet, I've been too busy with university and getting myself set up in this new job, he was lucky he knew his girlfriend in school. Her father works in the ministry himself and she was there for protection, you know."

"Got an early start on you there didn't he, mixed school, still I think Smeltings did you well, university and a degree."

"I had to work hard my last year, when we were in hiding, but I'm happy where I am now."

"I should think so, can't see why Vernon is such a bloody idiot about it. I must say I'd like to see your cousin, thank him for the taxis and telling me about Vernon's illness, don't know how to contact him though." Mum looked at me and nodded, so I removed my mobile phone from my pocket and mumbled something about going outside to make a call.

Ten minutes later, I was back in the ward, having made my call and some arrangements of my own. "I think the ward staff will be signalling the end of visiting soon for dinnertime, so why don't you come back to my house for tea, we ate a big dinner earlier, so it'll only be something light, but you're welcome to join us. I've spoken to Harry as well and the taxi can pick you up from mine just as easily."

"Thank you, Dudley that would be very nice, I was wondering about getting something to eat before I head home and I must say I was surprised when Vernon told me you had your own house. How on earth did you manage to afford that at your age, been saving your pocket money," she laughed as if this last comment was funny.

"No, you remember I said I managed to help that nation of people, well they paid me a reward for my services, quite generous, and put it in a private bank. Does very well, thank you very much."

We made our farewells from Dad and headed outside where I hailed a passing taxi and gave it directions to Grimmauld place.

We let ourselves and Aunt Marge in and I proceeded to put the kettle on and started to prepare, some sort of tea for us, as the front doorbell rang.

Mum got up and went to let our guests in; after all she knew who I was expecting to arrive.

"Hello Aunt Marge," Harry said as he came into the lounge, "Dudley tells me you wanted to speak to me!"

Ginny gestured to Mum and they both left Harry and I alone in the lounge as they went into the kitchen, Ginny returning a few seconds later with three cups of tea, "Dudley, your Mum and I are just going to prepare some tea," she winked at me. "You and Harry can talk with your Aunt whilst we do." I wonder what that wink could mean.

Aunt Marge looked up and down at Harry, "I must say you look a lot better than I expected, of course, I've got the proper story from Petunia and Dudley about your past family life now. You always were small for your age." I'd told Harry at the fabrication we'd spun her in the hospital and he'd agreed to go along with it, certain aspects were truish, and it made sense of sorts. "I'm afraid I was a little to judgemental of you as a young man, of course Vernon and Petunia didn't help matters telling me your father was a drunk and a layabout. Telling me that your school was for criminal boys didn't help either. I hope you can accept my apologies about that, I allowed their attitude to colour mine; of course I admit I had attitudes of my own. They're not entirely to blame!"

Harry and Aunt Marge were discussing the incident, when she had her 'funny turn' during that argument before his third year, when Mum and Ginny came in with quite an elaborate spread for such a short amount of time. That was what the wink meant, Ginny had cheated, used magic, not that I was complaining; just glad that Aunt Marge hadn't seen any of it.

A couple of hours later, Aunt Marge had set off back home in her taxi, again being paid for by Harry and I was glad to say they seemed to have made some sort of truce. I was impressed with the change in her attitude as well. She seemed a much nicer person than in the past, no slobbering over me; having no ruddy dog might have helped there. It really had been a quite surprising day, some major reconciliation in our family. I could only hope Dad would eventually come round. Maybe when hell froze over, or something else impossible happened; only time would tell."

A/N nothing much is said in the books about Sirius' motor bike, this is my own interpretation of what might have happened. After all, there was no mention of Sirius ever being prosecuted by the nisuse of muggle artefacts office.

Please review: this chapter is slightly longer than usual and contains a surprise appearance from an old 'friend' in the Potter / Dursley family. I don't know where she came from, but then again, she always had such a strong attitude that she would force herself an appearance. I do hope you continue to enjoy the way the story is going. Please let me know what you think!


	19. Chapter 19

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think, slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 19: What Do You Do With A Problem Like Maria?

That Wednesday, Mum and I collected Dad from the hospital in his car; it had been kept for the duration in the hotel car park where Dad had been staying the night he had the heart attack. Another thing to be grateful to Harry for, he'd called the hotel and using his credentials as an officer of the law had seen that the hotel wouldn't have his car towed away or him hunted for by the police for non-payment of his bill. Doubt Dad would see it that way!

According to the literature that I'd checked up on whilst he was in hospital, patients were banned from driving for a period after major heart surgery and having told his healers this, they agreed that it should be the same after growing himself a new heart. His new heart was now completely indistinguishable from his old one, except for the fact it had no furring of the arteries which had caused the attack. Mum was adamant that his diet would be changing when he got home, so any difference noted by his doctors, would be seen as a result of the surgery and the benefits of diet.

Dad was being the usual grouch about things, grumbling about not being able to drive, ruddy doctors, and my driving amongst other things as we drove back to Surrey from London. We had avoided any outcry from him in the hospital, seeing the signs about spell damage or anything else magical, by the simple option of having Ernie cast a simple Confundus charm over his vision as we left the ward to go down to the car. He remained blissfully unaware of any magic, throughout his whole exit of the hospital.

The first major problem occurred when we pulled up into the front drive at 4 Privet Drive, parked in the driveway was a brand new 'Silver Arrow' model motorcycle, registration BR00M. Dad didn't notice the registration straight away, as the bike was parked with the number plate facing the house, he did however start to rant about the bloody cheek of someone parking their bike in his driveway. "Dad! You can relax about that for a start! The bike's mine, when I was told that it was being delivered today, I arranged for delivery here, rather than at home. At least that way I could drive home rather than catch the train." Of course that started him off on the dangers of motorbike riding, was there nothing he wouldn't find fault with?

Mum and Dad made their way back into the house, Mum making her way to the kitchen to put the kettle on, always the first thing she did. I carried Dad's cases in, straight to the kitchen to be put in the wash as per Mum's instructions. "I don't understand, this place should be filthy, I've not been here for over a week! How come it's so clean and tidy, Dudley?"

I had a vague idea, but wasn't going to say anything without proof, I went to the kettle to fill that up as Mum had not yet got round to it. Taped to the kettle was a small handwritten note:

_Aunt Petunia, I had Kreacher come and clean round for you last night. You might want to do it again yourself, though, as Kreacher is not familiar with muggle vacuum cleaners. Harry._

I handed the note to Mum, who glanced at it, nodded and screwed it up and dropped it in the bin. "I must thank Harry for that, but I don't think your father needs to know, does he?" she quickly got a mop out and proceeded to mop the kitchen floor. "Just for appearance, sake!" she said as she winked at me, with a nod in the direction of the lounge.

I took the freshly made cup of tea into the lounge for Dad, but there was no sign of him. The front door was open, however and I could see his large figure in the driveway. "Nice bike Dudley, but I think there's a problem." He held up the set of keys which had been posted through the letter box. "I've tried to start it, to see what it sounds like, but it doesn't seem to work."

I looked at the bike and noticed the 'card' slot, still in the handlebars where Harry had conjured it at the weekend. Praying that nothing overly magical would happen, I placed my wand into the slot and took the keys from Dad. The bike started perfectly normally. "What was that Dudley, never seen anything like that on a bike before?"

"Engine immobiliser, this bike has every security available on it!" I hoped that sounded plausible to him, it was the first thing that came into my head.

"Good for you, taking care of security like that, but I do notice you've got no helmet or anything! You won't be legal without that, and what about an 'L' plate, don't you need one of them? Unless you've gone and passed the driving test for one of these things without telling us?"

"No Dad, I haven't taken the full test yet. The helmet and that sort of thing was delivered to Mrs. Figg's house, at the same time as the bike. I called her and she agreed to accept delivery if the bike arrived before we got back."

"Hmm! That batty old woman who lives a few streets away, never fathomed out why your mother has got so pally with her recently. I always assumed she was just a mad old bat who was glad of the company when we palmed your cousin off on her!"

I decided on a little white lie that might help here! "No Dad, I think she's just an old lady, I think Mum goes round to see her because of that, help the neighbours sort of thing. Mrs. Figg helped Harry bring me home the time the dementor attacked me. I think she thought I'd been mugged or something."

"Never knew that! Makes sense I suppose. You did look bloody terrible that night. Quite plausible you'd been mugged. Your Mum helping out and old lady though, doesn't seem like her, I mean why old Mrs. Figg?"

"Probably for similar reasons, I told you she bought me home that night with Harry, you must've forgotten."

"Maybe! Maybe! Must admit this looks like a nice bike, never seen the make before? Where'd you get it? Can't say I approve of that number plate either, stinks too much of your cousins freakiness."

"It's a custom model, bought it second hand from a dealer, had it all checked over first by experts though, just to make sure it's safe to drive and everything!"

"Hmm! Custom job! Must be bloody expensive to insure then, hope they're paying enough at that job you're doing!"

"Not that expensive Dad! It's a custom job, but that comes down because of the alarms and immobiliser and stuff, and I'll be garaging it at home. The ministry is paying the insurance anyway, being as I'll be using it to travel to and from calls. The number plate is a joke on my part, lots of my colleagues have brooms, only fair I should have one too!"

"Well, that's good of them, wouldn't have thought that sort of people did insurance, too normal for them. Still don't like the number plate though. Smacks too much of something unnatural. Didn't see a garage at your place though, why didn't you have your car in it, would have stopped the need for you to go out and buy a motorbike in the first place."

"Couldn't get it in there, the garage is round the back of the property, my car was too wide to fit into it. Built for when cars were smaller I guess. Anyway, the bike'll fit fine in there." I didn't mention the fact that the small brick built shed, for use as a garage, I'd had built in the garden was only big enough for a bike or the fact that I'd have to land in the back garden to use it. Dad wasn't going to hear of those details.

As I left that evening I pushed my bike from the driveway in the direction of Mrs. Figg's house, 'to pick up my helmet etc; having got out of site of Privet Drive, I opened the engine compartment of the bike and removed the helmet. Just before I drove off home I gave her a phone call; just to fill her in on the white lie that was being told to Dad, just in case of course, she didn't think she'd spoken to him since Harry had left for his last year at school.

I made several trips over the next few months to give explanations to parents of muggle born witches and wizards who were first manifesting their magic. These children were usually around seven or eight and the parents were pleased to find their children were 'gifted' and been accepted to an exclusive school when they turned 11, but one family caused me some slight grief.

The child in question was not abused or anything like that, the 9 year old was the main carer for his father who had been confined to a wheelchair since an accident two years ago. He received a couple of visits during the day from social services whilst the son was at school, but not during the school holidays. The father was concerned that if social services were to find his son were to be going to an exclusive boarding school in Scotland, they would cut of his carers and expect him to pay for his own full time care.

I couldn't believe this sort of thing happened. This kid had no time to just be a normal boy. He was constantly at the beck and call of his father. I didn't blame the father either; he was just as much a victim in this.

I made a phone call to Hermione, to see what help could be given by the ministry, but apparently there was no system of social care in the magical world. Witches and wizards who suffered from some sort of long term illness or disability were generally cared for by family or at the long term ward of St. Mungo's, but that was a limited sort of care. Hermione agreed to send a healer to check on the father within the next few days to see if something could be done for him, but did promise that the problem would be sorted to the satisfaction of all, the father, the boy, and myself.

I promised the father that I would be in touch as well; this case had hurt me, to think that society was so cruel as to have to let this small boy care for his disabled father. I was adamant that somehow I would change this appalling state of affairs. It raised other concerns with me as well, what about those people in the magical world that had no family to care for them, what happened there?

About a week after I had seen the disabled father and son, I received a report from the healer who had visited him at his home. As the accident had occurred sometime previously, there was now no possibility of new regrowth being stimulated by any potion known to the healers at St. Mungo's; unfortunately the man was going to be confined to his wheelchair for the foreseeable future, unless some new cure was found.

The possibility of regrowing the damaged nerves hadn't occurred to me at the time, though in the light of Dad's treatment, it should have done. We were now going to have find another solution, the father very much wanted his son to attend Hogwarts, but as circumstances were presently, there seemed no possibility of that.

For the next couple of weeks, the problem was the main topic of conversation in the department, but we could not seem to come up with any solution as yet, but I was presented with an idea by Dad of all people. He had called to invite me home for Christmas and was telling me that he had dropped Mum off at Mrs. Figg's the one morning on his way to work, as the weather was terrible and it was on his way. He mentioned seeing a carer taking some groceries into her house. I knew she had no carer's only Mum and possibly Mr. Tibbles, her house elf.

I thanked him for the invitation and said I would do my best to get there, but with the weather, we'd been having I'd have to let him know nearer the date. The next morning at work I spoke to Hermione about what he had mentioned seeing at Mrs. Figg's house and enquired as to the identity of the carer. Hermione hadn't got a clue, as far as she was aware Mrs. Figg was getting no help from muggle social services, that was why she had been assigned a house elf by the ministry, it was a bold move at the time and also a bit of a social experiment as well, to see how house elves would interact with a squib.

It was decided that I should make a call on Mrs. Figg, to find out what had changed and who her mysterious 'carer' had been. I mean there was the possibility that the statute of secrecy had been breached here, should her carer see her house elf. Their existence wasn't known about by muggles after all. So it was that one Monday morning I flew my motor bike to Surrey and her house.

I knocked on the door, only to hear an unfamiliar female voice, "who is it please, please to be identify yourselves!"

"Dudley Dursley, Ministry of Magic Social Worker!" The door opened for me to be greeted by the familiar figure of Mr. Tibbles, her house elf. "Who did I just speak to? Who answered the door?"

Mr. Tibbles looked guiltily at his feet, one of which was wearing a blue sock and the other a green one. "That was Mr. Tibbles sir; he is having to answer the door now for mistress as she can't."

"Wait that was you? But I heard a woman's voice, and why can't she come to the door herself?"

I was shown through to the lounge, to find Mrs. Figg sitting in her usual chair with her left leg, and left wrist both in plaster, a pair of crutches beside the chair. She looked up as I entered the room, "hello Dudley, this is a pleasant surprise, and I wasn't expecting anybody today. What brings you here, did I hear you say you worked for the ministry, and I didn't know that?"

"What happened here, how come you're in plaster and what was Mr. Tibbles doing answering the door as a woman?"

"I fell on the ice a few days ago and broke my leg and wrist, the hospital were all for sending a social worker to assess me for home help, but thinking of Mr. Tibbles at home and what some busy body, sorry no insult intended, would make of him. I said I had a carer at home already. The hospital were curious about this fact as they could find no record of social services assigning me any help. Arrangements were made for a home visit the next day, so during the night when the rest of the ward was asleep I called for Mr. Tibbles and he appeared at the bedside. When I explained the problem, he thought for a while and suddenly there was an unfamiliar woman sitting next to me. He used magic to make himself appear as a human woman. We spoke for a little while to build up a proper story that both of us could tell the social worker tomorrow when she called and 'Maria' my carer left the ward through the doors and apparated home, so as not to wake any of the other patients or alert the staff."

"And the carer that Dad saw when he dropped Mum off the one morning, I'm assuming that was 'Maria' as well?"

"It was, Mr. Tibbles has been doing my shopping for me since the accident, and obviously he can't go as himself, so he goes as Maria. Social services think I'm getting my care through a charity. I hope we've done nothing wrong? I don't want to lose Mr. Tibbles or get him into trouble at the ministry or anything!"

"Well personally I don't see a problem; I don't think there will be one. But would you mind if I called my superior here to come via your floo. There's some other business that maybe you and your resourceful elf can help us with."

"I don't mind! I just hope they don't take him away! He's a real help to me these days! I couldn't cope without him, especially at the moment!"

"I don't know if they could take him away, he's your house elf, they'd actually have to sack him or do something extremely drastic. I think that between you, you've come to a very good solution."

I telephoned Hermione and asked her to join me immediately at the house, and told her to floo over to 41 Wisteria Road. Reluctantly she agreed, thinking we had some major problem on her hands. Minutes later, there was a whoosh from the fireplace and Hermione stepped into the lounge brushing the soot from her clothes. "What's the problem Dudley, I assume there must be one to make you need to call me so urgently?"

"Not a problem, a solution to another problem maybe."

Mrs. Figg called Mr. Tibbles into the lounge, and he entered from the kitchen. "Would you please show Miss Granger my new carer?" she asked.

Without delay, Mr. Tibbles was replaced by Maria, a Hispanic looking muggle woman. "Yes Mistress," the new voice being the one I'd heard through the door. "Would you and your guests like some tea?" Mrs. Figg said yes to this and Maria walked to the kitchen to prepare tea for three people.

"I hope Mr. Tibbles and I haven't done anything wrong, but I didn't want social services to find out about my having a house elf, it was his idea, but I thought it an excellent idea. Nobody is being hurt by it!"

Hermione looked at me as Maria brought a tray in laden with a teapot and cups for three people, "so what's the problem? All I can see is a house elf and its mistress preventing muggles from learning about house elves. I'm still not happy with all their work conditions, but I don't see why you needed me here?"

"Well you've answered Mrs. Figg's questions about the deception, but I don't think you've seen a solution to another problem we've got."

"What problem are you thinking of, I don't recall anything similar to this occurring before, but they've obviously solved the problem between them. Most ingeniously I must say!"

"I was thinking about our disabled father and his son! Couldn't he get a house elf as a carer, it would certainly free the boy up to go Hogwarts and allow him time as a boy before that!"

"I don't see how, there aren't enough house elves around to cater for all the families that would like one. Mrs. Figg was one of the lucky people and as I said it was something of a social experiment at the time as well. We're still not sure what will happen with Mr. Tibbles when, excuse me Mrs. Figg, she passes away."

Mr. Tibbles who was in the process of pouring tea for us piped up, "Mr. Tibbles serves Mistress Arabella, when she has left us, we will continue to serve her family. Her great-granddaughter is a witch and Master Daniel has agreed that we can go to serve him and his daughter."

"I see! Thank you Mr. Tibbles, that solves one problem, but the other is that there simply aren't enough house elves. They seem to have a very low birth rate. We don't even know why or how they decide to have young!"

"Excuses us for talking out of turn Miss Granger, but perhaps Mr. Tibbles can help you there. House elves does not have kits until one of us is dying or a child of the master or mistress is leaving to set up a new home, we does not like the idea of having no employment." He shuddered at the thought of being unemployed.

"So how come you were available for service to a new family. I mean Mrs. Figg knows she was born to a wizard family, but doesn't remember much more detail than that, like their name or anything. The ministry could probably trace them for her, but she's not interested in doing that after all this time.

"When house elves visit someone with their masters, and we meets a house elf there, well we..." he looked embarrassed. "House elves becomes pregnant, but doesn't give birth till new house elf needed. Sometimes for many years staying pregnant, but kits not being born. Mr. Tibbles, mother was Master Kingsley Shacklebolt's house elf, she heard of need and gave birth to Mr. Tibbles. Ready to leave mother to serve new masters after three months age."

"So if there were a need to find more house elves, we could ask existing house elves already working for their own masters?"

"I suppose so Mistress! If kit were going to proper family and employment, most house elves like to have kits and know they in honest employment! Is status symbol to have many kits in proper work."

I decided to ask a question of my own at this point. "How would a house elf feel about working for muggles; the family of a muggleborn student." Hermione looked at me aghast for a moment wondering what I was thinking of. Then comprehension dawned on her of what I was thinking of. "The house elf may be required to look like a muggle carer at all times, in order to interact with muggle authorities and friends."

"House elves is willing to do anything to serve whatever masters want, but once house elf is with family, they stays with family, for as longs as they lives. And house elves live long times."

"I understand you enter service for your lifetime, but another point, what would happen if a house elf were to enter service to someone with no family after they passed on? What does the house elf do then?"

"House elf would pass with master, a house elf has no desire to live with no one to serve. It is reason for house elf existence to serve masters." Hermione looked at me again, wondering where this idea was going. "What about if a house elf who had no one to serve could come to the ministry and apply for a new master? There is always someone who would like the service of a house elf. Would a house elf be willing to serve a new master?"

"A house elf is always willing to serve a master. Sometimes will die of grief when master die, but some may be willing to go and serve new masters."

"Thank you Mr. Tibbles, your answers have been very instructive to me. I believe I owe you sort of payment for your help!" Hermione gasped at this remark and I could feel her eyes on me! I pulled a Galleon from my pocket and handed it to him.

"But sir! House elves do not require payment for serving their masters, the knowledge that they is doing a good job is all the payment they need or want."

"I understand, but I am not your master, and you have helped me in a very important way, I should reward you for that!"

"Thanking you master Dudley, but what is I to do with it?"

"It's yours to do what you want with it. You can use it to buy yourself something, or buy something for your mistress."

"Oh no sir! It is a present! Mr. Tibbles would never give away a present." I thought for a moment and took the shoelace from one of my shoes and wrapped it around the Galleon and made a loop and placed it round his neck. He looked at his new necklace with pride, "thank you master Dudley, I will wears it with pride." The look in his face was one of pure pleasure at this point.

Hermione and I thanked both Mrs. Figg and Mr. Tibbles for their help and made our way back to the ministry by our own means. As I was driving back I thought about what had been accomplished today. The muggle father in the wheelchair could get a carer to look after him. the son would be able to attend Hogwarts in a couple of years time, and in the mean time he could have a proper childhood till then. The possibility was there for elderly witches and wizards with no family to have proper care in their own homes. And it seemed I had also solved another conundrum for the ministry, the numbers of house elves could increase as needed. I wonder what I would achieve next. All in all, a very useful trip...

Author note: A longer chapter than usual, but it was all necessary, I do hope you enjoyed my theory on house elf reproduction; it's been kept as simple as possible so as not to raise the rating. It has never been explained by Ms. Rowling about the lives of house elves, but we do know they get old, from the old elf serving the woman that Tom Riddle robbed of the locket and the cup. I have heard about some animals that can hold a pregnancy until the food supply is adequate; my contention is that house elves do something similar until a new master is there to serve.

Please review: do let me know what you think of my little tale. All reviews are appreciated, and you never know your idea might help me in some future chapter. Many thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, I can't believe how many reviews I've received so far and all positive. Thank you very much!


	20. Chapter 20

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 20: A Chance Meeting by the Pool.

The next few months were the time of several happenings in both social and work related areas. There had been a ceremony at Hogwarts where a posthumous Order of Merlin First Class was given to the late Professor Snape, where Harry gave a very moving speech about what a misunderstood man he had been. The ending of this day was different to how one of the audience suspected it to be.

Hermione had apparated from the ceremony taking Ron with her to Gretna Green, where they had been married there in the old traditional way, over the anvil. There was quite a shock for him as he left the building to find that the whole family had been there to witness the wedding, me included. Hermione had known that the family would have wanted to be there so had conspired with them to be present. I'm sure Ron will forgive her in time, the kiss he gave her when they were confronted by the whole family certainly seemed happy enough.

The number of house elves had also taken a dramatic increase as well, making the care of some people in the magical community a lot easier. House elves were also given a new way in which to serve the magical community as a whole, the ministry had employed several house elves to work within the ministry. These house elves whilst carrying out their duties within the ministry were also available to carry out 'special assignments' when needed sent to care for persons within the magical community as needed. In essence a care agency for wizards.

The events of the past few months meant that I was ready for a holiday, so it was in the early April that year I took my rucksack, climbed aboard my bike and flew down to Dover to go through the channel tunnel to France. I had never been abroad before, the restrictions of having Harry living with us meant we didn't take that many holidays more than a long weekend, that being the longest we could dump him on Mrs. Figg. I'm sure it would have been possible to fly across the Channel to France on my bike, but I wasn't sure I wanted to fly all that way over water.

I presented my wizard ID card at the border and the customs officer stamped it, just like any normal passport, indeed it even looked like a passport when I handed it over. I was going to go to Spain. My friend Piers had gone two or three times to Spain when we were younger on holidays with his family and he always had fun. I wanted to get away completely from work for a while and spend a few days as just a normal holiday maker. I had my 'passport stamped at the French / Spanish border as well and made my way to the nearest tourist resort to find a hotel.

I was enjoying my time on holiday, I would spend the morning driving around the 'local' landscape on my bike, it would have surprised the staff I'm sure if they knew how far the Englishman went on his travels each morning. I usually spent the late afternoon and evenings relaxing on the beach or round the pool.

It was towards the end of the second week's holiday when I came across a familiar face. I was relaxing by the pool when I saw a head of blonde hair appear up the steps of the diving board. As the blonde girl walked along the board and prepared to dive into pool, I recognised her, Gabrielle Delacour; the pretty young girl who had danced with me at Harry's wedding and indeed kissed me in the lift in Birmingham. What was she doing here?

She made a graceful dive into the water and proceeded to swim the length of the pool, with long graceful strokes. I sat watching as she turned around and began on a return lap. She turned again and began a third lap, she really was an excellent swimmer, and extremely pretty. I've always had a thing for blondes.

At the end of her third lap, she headed for the steps out of the pool and made her way to one of the sun loungers that had been covered by a towel when I arrived. She removed the towel and began to dry her long hair. After a few moments, she managed to get most of the moisture out and looked around, and noticed who was sitting a few loungers away looking at her. "Bonjour Dudley, que faites-vous ici. Nous semblons réunion de suivi beaucoup récemment, êtes-vous me suivre? Je suis venu ici avec quelques amis moldus, mais ils sont vraiment un peu enfantine. Je préfère la compagnie de quelqu'un d'un peu plus matures."

I looked at her dumfounded. "Sorry! But the only think I understood there was bonjour Dudley, my French is dreadful. I'm surprised to see you here; I just came for a holiday."

"Pardon! Sorry. I asked what you were doing here and if you were following me. I then said I came with some muggle friends who are all a bit childish."

"Oh! I see. Well I came here to get away from work for a bit, just relax, so I'm probably going to be a boring old fart to what you're used to."

"Non, not boring. More mature, these enf..., children I came with all they wish to do is getting drunk and dance to this awful muggle music."

"Well that's certainly not me, I had enough of getting drunk before I was old enough to drink, I used to do that with friends back home. And I'm not really a fan of the music in the charts at the moment, can't say I've heard much of the wizard worlds music, unless you count that group at his wedding. I liked them, they were good."

"Oh, they're not bad, my favourite are Les Garçons Vélane, a French group, The Veela Boys. I used to have such a terrible crush on their lead vocalist when I was younger."

"Never heard of them, never heard that much about Veela either. Bill Weasley mentioned something about nature spirits when I met him some time back, but that's more or less what I know."

"True to a point, but prejudiced as is most wizard information about that side of my family. They talk of veela being predatory females who seduce males and then kill them, ridiculous. They stick to old suspicious outdated muggle rubbish. Veela have been more in touch with their magical heritage than wizards for a long time. A lot of veela magic is concerned with helping nature and life and is instinctive in use, not using wands. For that they are seen as inferior, huh, they ignore the male part of the veela altogether."

"There are male veela too?"

"Of course, how do you think young veela come to be? Of course most stories of male veela are relegated to muggle legend, the incubus who would seduce a mortal woman in her sleep. There is a lot about veela that the ministry does not know or wish to know. A large number of us live and work in the magical and muggle worlds unseen. It is often only when a child of a veela and a human, wizard or muggle, is born that we come to their attention. My grandmother was a veela; her marriage to a wizard was what brought her to the attention of the ministry. Up until that point, they knew nothing of her existence. Any magic she had done was unseen by them."

"So veela are living among ordinary people and no one knows?"

"Of course, that is the way, they wish it! Most veela want nothing to do with the ministry or their petty regulations."

"Makes sense! I've seen some rubbish in my time working with them. One thing I've noticed, your English is a lot better than your sister's, and she lives and works in Britain now, why is that?"

"Simple, she wishes to retain some of the French allure to herself. I could speak zat way should I want. Tis sexy! Non?"

I laughed at this, "It can be, I suppose! I don't see that she needs it. She's attractive without the allure she chooses to project. You're extremely attractive yourself and the fact that you don't try to be 'seductive' with it, is a point in your favour."

"I could be if I wanted. I could make you fall hopelessly in love with me, be infatuated by me! Use you for my pleasure and throw you away. Where is the point in that? I do not want someone who is tied to me by falsely generated emotions. I want someone who likes me for who I am, not a puppet to follow my every whim."

"I understand that, but does that mean that Bill Weasley is a puppet to Fleur's every whim? He married her. She married him."

"No! The reason she married Bill was because he was immune to her allure. All veela can make ourselves irresistible to the opposite sex should we wish. Bill was not affected like that, so she became more interested in him because of it. They are happy together, and I am glad for them. I do not wish to work like that. I refuse to use the power I have from that part of my ancestry. I will find someone the 'normal' way thank you very much."

"I hope you continue to do that and wish you luck with it. It sounds far more noble that way. I don't think you need any help anyway."

"Thank you! You are most charming. I remember dancing with you at Harry's wedding; I thought you were handsome then! I still do! I told Maman when we saw you in Birmingham that I thought you were cute too."

I blushed, "err! Thank you! I'm flattered; no one has ever called me handsome before or cute."

"Then the girls around you must be blind." I'm sure I must have blushed even more, I could definitely feel my face getting hotter and Gabrielle laughed delightedly. "Definitely cute and getting cuter. I can't believe you are blushing so much."

"Now it's embarrassment. I'm sure you must be making fun of the famous Harry Potter's cousin. I remember at his wedding you were convinced he saved your life. I've never heard about that, but you seemed to talk about him a lot then."

"Perhaps, but until then he was the first boy I ever kissed, when he pulled me from the lake at Hogwarts."

"What were you doing in the lake at Hogwarts; I thought you would be going to Beauxbatons like your sister?"

"Fleur was to rescue me from the bottom of the lake, but got turned back by grindylows. Harry rescued me and his own hostage, his friend Ronald, and brought me safely to the surface. I was not in any real danger, but he still risked himself to rescue me, it was so brave of him."

"Just sounds like Harry, hero complex. He saved my life as well, got himself into trouble about it."

"How did he save your life? I have not heard about that."

"I wouldn't know if it would make French papers, or even what wizarding papers you get over here. During the summer holidays before the fifth year, we were attacked by dementors and Harry used magic to repel them, got into a lot of trouble over it; using magic in front of a muggle, underage magic. Pure rot of course, the ministry wanted to discredit him because he was telling truth about Voldemort coming back and they didn't want it to be true."

"Him, I have heard of also, he was madman. Trying to take over your British wizard community and remake in his own image, I am glad your cousin get rid of him."

"Me as well, I'd have hated it if Harry had died at the hands of a lunatic like him."

Our conversation was interrupted by the arrival of five girls about the same age who came up to us at the poolside and started speaking quickly in French to Gabrielle, who raised her eyebrows. "Excuse me Dudley; these are the friends I am here with. They wish me to get changed and go to a nightclub with them. More awful muggle music, them getting drunk and trying to pick up boys. Bah!"

"Ok! Sorry you've got to leave. I've enjoyed talking to you. I don't envy you your evening, never fancied picking up boys myself either!"

"I should hope not! I have enjoyed speaking with you too. It was much nicer than the boys that my friends try to set me up with." She got up to leave. "There was me, thinking this would be such fun, my first holiday away with Maman and Papa and I'm surrounded by children."

Gabrielle left with her friends and I decided to head back into the hotel, I was beginning to feel hungry. I went to my room, had a quick shower to freshen up and as I was getting dressed into some proper clothes to go and find a restaurant for the evening I had an idea. Picking up the telephone, I called reception, and asked for the room that Gabrielle Delacour was staying in with her friends. At first the reception didn't know which room I wanted as Gabrielle's name was not on the register, but after I mentioned the group of French girls staying; they agreed to see if she would speak with me.

"Gabrielle, hi, look it's Dudley, I was wondering if you fancied a change of plans for this evening. You didn't look too excited about going out with your friends and I'm about to go out for something to eat, would you like to join me? I under..."

"Why? Dudley are you asking me on a date? So forward."

"Not really, I mean, you're partially related to me, through Harry, and the Weasley family. I thought you'd be glad of a chance to avoid being harassed by the boys your friends are throwing at you."

"Now, I'm disappointed in you. But I would love to go out for dinner with you. I can't wait to tell my friends I'm going out with the handsome Englishman I was talking to by the pool. They were all asking who you were and how I met you! What sort of time were you thinking of?"

I glanced at my watch, "how about half an hour? I'll meet you in the lobby. That way I won't scandalize the reception anymore. They seemed to think I was some dirty old man asking for the room you were in."

Gabrielle giggled at this and said that she would be in the lobby waiting for me, and would speak to reception and inform them of our familial connections. When she had hung up, I checked what I was wearing and decided it would do. Smart trousers and a short sleeved shirt, no tie. I hated those things and indeed hadn't packed one anyway. I didn't want to look too much of an old fart in front of Gabrielle's friends.

I was sitting in one of the armchairs in reception when Gabrielle and her friends came down in the lift, all giggling together. Gabrielle made her way to reception and was pointed in my direction and she came over on her own. I was glad of that, I didn't fancy being surrounded by a gaggle of giggling teenage girls. She kissed me on the cheek, and quietly took my hand. "I told the reception, you were my sister's brother-in-law. So that should stop them thinking such nasty things about you. My friends well! They think I have pulled some handsome Englishman, their English is not so good, so let us not tell them, and it can be our secret? Non?"

I laughed at this, kissed her on the cheek myself and we left to go and find somewhere to eat. The evening was very enjoyable, I liked Gabrielle's company. She might have been only just 17 but she was certainly a lot more mature at that age than I'd been. We enjoyed a nice meal in a small Italian restaurant and then I followed Gabrielle's lead and we went to an establishment I hadn't noticed myself in all the time I'd been here. The group playing were called les loups-garous, which Gabrielle informed me, was French for the werewolves. Apparently they were a French wizard group who did cover versions if a lot of other artists, both wizard and muggle. The evening was only marred by the fact that the next day I had to head home. I could have stayed a couple of more days possibly but I had promised Mum and Dad I would spend Easter with them and my birthday was a couple of days later.

Easter with Mum and Dad wasn't too bad as these things go, but I found my thoughts kept straying back to the last night of my holiday and the kiss that Gabrielle had given me, when we got back to our hotel. That was certainly not the sort of kiss that you give one of your in-laws. Dad was too busy talking about some rubbish at his work, but I was sure I got a few odd looks from Mum over my slightly distracted expression over the course of the day.

I rode back to London and home that night with a birthday present from Mum and Dad in my rucksack and pleasant memories of the holiday I'd had in Spain. It wasn't that often that I got to spend a nice evening with a young woman who enjoyed being with me. It had been some time since I'd had a proper girlfriend; that had been Lisa when I was living in Tinworth and the year afterward when she had been retaking her last year at Hogwarts, when I had seen her during the school holidays. I'd gone out a few times with girls at university, but they'd never lasted long.

I tried to get that evening out of my mind, but my mind just kept going over it in my head, the meal, dancing with Gabrielle and the kiss she'd given me as I left her in reception to make her way back to her room. I hadn't seen her the next morning when I checked out and in some way I was disappointed. I think I spent all of the bank holiday (public holiday) after Easter going over that evening again and again in my mind and it was only going back to work on the Wednesday, my 23rd birthday that brought me back to reality.

I floo'd into the ministry and to my office and was sifting through the paperwork that had accumulated on my desk in my absence, when there was a knock at the door. I called for the visitor to enter and to my surprise it was Harry. "Hello, Harry to what do I owe this visit?" it wasn't often that our paths crossed at work, indeed most of our meetings had been in Grimmauld Place.

"Bit of a mystery for me; something I have to pass on to you; and some questions I've been instructed to ask you!"

"Sounds interesting do go on!"

"Ok! On your head be it. I received a letter from Fleur last night; it contained another addressed to you." I raised my eyebrows at this news and Harry noticed. "This letter had come to Fleur with a request that she pass it on, and the only way she knew was through me."

"This is getting interesting, carry on. I'm curious about what this is all about."

"Fleur wants to know why her little sister should be writing to you, the last time she was aware you'd met was my wedding. Why should she be writing to you now, nearly a year later?"

I proceeded to tell Harry about our meeting on the last night of my holiday when we'd met by the pool and I'd taken her out to dinner and gone dancing. I did hasten to explain that it had only been as a friend and relative as we were technically in-laws through his marriage and Bill's. but when I told him of the end of the night and the kiss she'd given me as she went back to her room, I was sure he could see me writing a bit more into the moment than I meant to.

"I see, I remember when Fleur kissed me after I pulled Gabrielle from the lake. I couldn't think straight for half an hour afterwards. I think you've got it worse. Well I suppose that answers mine and Fleur's questions. I'll leave you to read your letter in peace; I've got a reply to write to Fleur, and your face can cool down." He walked out of my office and I felt my face, which was indeed warm. I quickly opened my letter and began to read:

Dudley,

I realise I never thanked you properly for such a pleasant evening. I had a nice evening and enjoyed your company. I never gave you a way to get in touch with me. My cell phone number is +334657383 and I can be contacted by email, Gabrielle (dot) delacour13 (at) yahoo (dot) fr. I would very much like to stay in touch.

I meant everything I said to you in Spain, and I really enjoyed the evening we spent together and I hope we can spend more time together after I graduate in July. I am coming to England and hoping to get a job at your ministry working in the technology department.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Love Gabrielle. X

My God! What had I let myself in for...?

Please review: all comments and reviews are appreciated. The French in this chapter was translated using 'Google translate' so if it's wrong blame them, not me! I do hope you are continuing to enjoy the story.


	21. Chapter 21

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 21: Crystal Balls, Fires, and The Lodger. (Part 1)

After my holiday I came back to the office to find my desk piled high with paperwork. The technology department had succeeded in getting mobile phones to work properly in the magical world and several other things, but still had made no progress with computers. The amount of shielding to get them to work in a magical community was just so much that their functions were shielded out of existence. The 'program' that enabled an ordinary muggle computer to access the Hogwarts website was fairly simple to implement, a password and an encryption key that allowed access to a special website, somewhere away from magical influence.

I really hoped this problem would be sorted soon, the amount of paperwork cluttering numerous desks could be reduced dramatically, but until then I was reduced to reading pages of heavy documents and getting them moved to another office by a house elf after I had finished. A computer or laptop would be extremely helpful, but it was still not possible.

I had made several visits to parents of muggleborn witches and wizards, but the one that had really affected me was the young boy who had been caring for his disabled father. I had made many return visits to them after it had been arranged for a house elf to be assigned to the son as the magical member of the family. The boy was starting to come out of his shell a little and making friends. The father was much impressed with his new carer and his benefits had not been affected through some clever paperwork from the ministry. The muggle authorities believed his care had been organised by some charitable organisation and were glad of the fact that it had not cost them anything; penny pinching beaurocrats the lot of them.

I was at home about three months after my holiday when I heard some commotion in the square, a bit out of the ordinary for this quiet area of London. There was what looked like a large pile of packing crates in the street, and no-one in sight. Suddenly there was a loud crack from the small garden in the centre of the square and the familiar figure of Gabrielle Delacour came striding into view, a large holdall in her hands. We had exchanged a few emails and spoken a few times on the phone. I knew she had got the internship at the ministry she wanted, but she hadn't said anything about her accommodation arrangements whilst working for the ministry.

She dropped her bag and quickly gave me a kiss, "bonjour Dudley! Are you visiting Harry, he didn't tell me you would be here?"

I looked at her in some confusion, "err! No, I just heard noises in the square and came out to see what was happening. What is happening?"

"I am moving in to lodge with Harry and Ginny, Maman and Papa did not wish me living in a strange city, in a foreign country on my own. Fleur lives too far to apparate every day and besides she has a young child there to look after. So it was decided I should move in here, after all it is family. But that still does not explain why you are here, if you are not visiting."

"I know I never told you where I lived, but did Harry never tell you about his neighbours?"

"No! I have no idea who lives next door to him, I assumed they would be muggles and I would have limited contact with them. His neighbours do not even know his house is there, is that not so?"

"Partially, the muggle family in number 13, have no idea he lives there, or even that his house is there, but the man at number 11, knows all about him."

"So he lives next door to a wizard, that is to be expected I suppose, a lot of wizards who work in the ministry live in London."

"Nope. The man in number 11 is a muggle." I was enjoying teasing her this way; it was not dissimilar to the game I'd played at Justin's birthday party with Hannah and Ernie.

"A muggle who knows Harry Potter. That is surprising; I did not think he knew that many muggles, he never talks about them much."

"He knows some muggles, not that many I admit, but you're probably right he probably doesn't talk that much about them. His interaction with muggles wasn't that good when he was younger."

"Yes! I understand that was your faul... I get it! The muggle who lives next door is you? No?"

"Found out my guilty secret I live at number 11, I'm also one of the few muggles that work for the ministry."

"You said in your e-mails, you interact with muggleborns and the wizard world. You do a good job, I understand. Harry says he has only heard good reports of you."

"That's nice, I'm sure I've caused him some headaches as well? Changing some things about the way the ministry is run. Did you need help moving your stuff in? I can help if you want." She accepted my offer of assistance and after knocking on the door and being admitted by Kreacher, I helped her move her packing crates into the house, and we sat in the kitchen afterwards talking about her plans for work, which she was due to start the next week. She had come early to London to see a little of the city before settling down to work.

When Ginny arrived home by floo, from practise with the Harpies, I excused myself and left the two of them to catch up and went home to sort myself out something to eat. My phone rang unexpectedly; very few people had my phone number, just work, for emergencies and family for the same reason. I'd only got it installed because I needed a phone line to get access to the internet, most people called me on the mobile.

"Dudley, it's Hermione! We think we've got a problem. There's been an act of magic by a muggleborn before their parents have been contacted, we've tried calling the home, but there's no reply. We need someone out there quickly, someone who understands the protocols of dealing with this sort of thing." She proceeded to give me an address and I went to the closet to get my helmet etc ready to leave on the bike. As I was getting dressed into my safety clothing there was a polite knock on the front door, now what?

Gabrielle was standing on the doorstep. "Pardon Dudley, but you left this in Harry's house!" she handed my mobile phone to me. Well that explained why work had called me on the house phone. Harry's house was 'unplottable' and mobile phones were always out of range when you were there. "I was going to ask you a favour, but I see you are leaving, I will call back later, au revoir."

"What did you want to ask? I'm about to head out on emergency, but if I can help quickly I'll do what I can!"

"I was hoping I could use my laptop in your house. I want to email Maman to let her know I am here safe, but Harry has no coverage. She pulled her laptop from the large bag she had over her shoulder, but if you are going out, is not possible!"

"I don't think it'll pose too much problem, you're welcome to use my internet connection." I told her the password that I used to access the internet and showed her to the lounge where I got the best signal. "I don't think you're going to rob me!" I laughed at this, "and if you do I happen to know where a very understanding auror is, to arrest you, just make sure you lock up when you leave! Thanks for bringing my phone back; I'm going to need it later."

"Merci Dudley! Thank you!" she kissed me on the cheek again and switched on her laptop preparing to send her emails and I left via the back door to get on my bike. I could really get used to being kissed by that young lady.

I arrived at my destination quickly coming to a landing about a half mile away and driving conventionally to the street where I needed to go. I was disappointed to see a police car, a fire engine, and an ambulance outside the address. Damn, but that looked bad. A uniformed police officer cane across to speak to me. "Can I help you sir? I must ask you to move on if you've got no official reason to be here. We've got a real problem here!"

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the wand and showed it to the officer, "I'm a ministry employed social worker and I was informed there was some sort of problem here that came under my jurisdiction. Can you tell me what happened?"

"Wasn't aware the ministry employed social workers? Thought that was all local authorities, do you mind if I check this out for myself first? Security. You understand?" I assured him that I did and he went off to make some calls to check with his station. After a few minutes he came back. "Sorry about that Mr. Dursley, but you must understand the need." I assured him that I did and again asked for clarification on the problem.

"Seems like the young girl here set the house alight in some sort of argument with her parents, now normally this would just be routine. The parents however began to refer to the girl as devil spawn and were trying to exorcise the devil out of her. We were called in by the neighbour after she heard screams. The girl's in the ambulance now being checked out. She was conscious, but had a lot of bruising that I could see."

"I see, would it be possible for me to talk to the parents. Find out some details for myself you understand?"

"They've already been arrested and taken to the station. We're just here to find out what the harm is to the child, to ascertain what charges if any will be brought against them. Looks like assault at the least, and will probably involve a custodial sentence if it is."

"I really need to find out everything I can then? Could you give me directions to the station and radio them that I'm coming in. I'll need to speak to them both." He gave me the requested information and assured me that I would be expected on my arrival. I drove off at a normal speed, keeping to the ground for this short journey, no need to arrive too quickly. Although the bike was registered to the ministry and had immunity in the case of certain speed restrictions I didn't like to flaunt it.

The sergeant at the desk, checked out my ID and admitted me to an interview room where the parents would be brought to me. I sat down to wait. Two well dressed young people were brought in; the girl looked to be 3 or 4 years older than me, her partner a couple of years older than that. They sat down in the chairs indicated and the escorting police officer went to stand by the door, obviously intending to monitor the situation. I turned to look at him, "I need to speak to these people in private. If you check you'll find I have the necessary clearance and authority to do so." I waited for the officer to leave.

"I'm here for your protection as well sir! These two have employed violence to police officers as well as the young girl. They could get violent."

I pointed out the cameras watching the interview room. "You're welcome to monitor the situation on the camera, but I must insist that I talk to them in private, this is a matter of security. I can get this enforced if I need to, but I'd rather not." The officer looked undesisive for a moment, nodded and left the room, closing the door behind them.

I looked at the two people sitting opposite me! "Ok, I'm a ministry employed social worker, why don't you tell me your version of what's gone on tonight I need to know!"

"It was that little bastard! She's some sort of demon, always with the bloody fires. No way she can light them in the house, but always things erupting into flames. Don't know who the ruddy father was, Mary went on a college trip abroad a few years back and when she came back, swore some fellow had raped her. No physical evidence could be found by police to indicate rape, but Mary had been brought up properly, no sex outside marriage. Well when she turned up pregnant, I agreed to marry her and adopt the child as my own, but I swear the brat is some kind of demon spawn."

I looked at the young woman, "do you agree with what he's been saying? Is there anything else you'd like to add to this?"

"I remember the college trip and having some strange dreams at night, erotic dreams, and one morning it was different, I felt ashamed, dirty, soiled. I tried to tell my tutors but they didn't believe me. When I was pregnant with Angela, they thought I had been playing around whilst I was abroad, but I wouldn't do that. I was brought up to be a proper Christian and despite her name that child is no angel. She's got the devil in her from her father whoever he was. We tried to get her exorcised by the pastor and he told us some things to try when he wasn't available, but it doesn't work. She's some sort of demon spawn. The only way to get rid of that sort of thing is kill it." This had taken a turn for the worst. I got up from the chair and knocked on the door to be let out.

"I need to call my superiors about this, it seems the child will need to put into foster care for her own safety, can I go outside to make a call." The officer nodded and showed me through a back door to some sort of courtyard where several police cars and other vehicles were parked and I called the ministry emergency line.

"Caller, you have reached the Ministry of Magic emergency service, please listen to the following list of numbers for the department you require." I hated these ruddy things, if I'd known I was encouraging the ministry to adopt one of these automated systems I was sure I'd never have shown them how to use a phone. I pressed the number to get through to the Obliviators and proceeded to tell them about the story I'd heard over the past half hour. As I told the background of the case so far, it was decided that no oblivator would be needed but they were sending out an auror to look into things and maybe help me if I needed to gather evidence for later.

I went back into the station and informed them that I had finished for now with the prisoners, but I would have a colleague from the ministry arriving soon. Law enforcement, who may need to speak to them, it was looking highly likely that the child would be going into foster care. I was shown to the staff canteen to wait and sat down with a cup of coffee wondering who they would send?

I had been waiting for nearly an hour when a constable came and informed me that the officer I was expecting had arrived and was waiting downstairs for me, an Inspector Potter from Special Branch. I nodded and followed the officer back to the reception. I shook Harry's hand, called him Inspector, as if he were a stranger to me, and explained again everything I had learnt from interviewing the prisoners. Harry nodded and asked the desk sergeant if we could review the evidence room and were lead to another room where the footage from the camera was played for us both. Harry agreed with me that this was an extreme case and the child should be removed from her parents for her own safety. I informed the desk sergeant that I needed to go outside and collect the appropriate paper work from the bike, gave Harry a direct look and he nodded. I noticed him waving his wand under the table we were sitting at.

I went to the bike and on the left hand side of my bike out of sight of the car park camera there was a briefcase attached to the side. I removed this and proceeded back inside. I opened the briefcase and speed reading the document I brought out handed it to the desk sergeant. "This is a document for making the child a ward of court, removing it from the care of her parents and taking her into approved foster care." I filled a few details in on the form, that name of the child and names of the parents.

The desk sergeant nodded, looking quite impressed. "I would think from the evidence we've viewed and the state the child was in, a case of attempted murder should be brought against them. I'm sure you can see the necessity of our removing the child from where the authorities have taken her to another hospital for her own safety," again I saw his arm twitch under the table as he waved his wand. "We're also going to need a copy of that tape from the evidence room. It will be put on sealed record in the child's file. You do understand, don't you?"

After we had the copy of the evidence we left the station knowing the couple would be charged with attempted murder and we had guardianship of the girl. Harry walked with me back to my bike and flicking his wand attached the briefcase to the bike like a pannier. I've put an additional charm on that case, in case of similar events or some such. Any time you need some paperwork, forms etc, they'll be in there for you."

"How did you get here, did you apparate from London?"

He chuckled, "no I came in a similar manner to you." He pointed out the large Jaguar car that was parked next to my bike. "Take a look at the car, ahem, properly and you'll see what I mean." I thought about his statement for a moment and reached into my pocket to touch the wand. Lying on the floor in the parking bay was a broom, but as soon as I took my hand away from the card, I could see the car again. I nodded understanding what he meant. "I've got to go and collect the child now and take her to St. Mungo's for a proper check out by a healer, but you can get off home. When the ministry called me at home, Ginny told you to call round ours when you got back; she's preparing a meal for the family and invited you. I won't be too long after you." He 'climbed into his car' and backed it out of the car park and drove off. I looked up and saw his broom shoot off as soon as he was out of camera range.

Back at Grimmauld Place I parked my bike in the garage and came out with my helmet in hand, preparing to go through the house, change and go round to number 12, but there was a surprise in store. There was an open gate in the fence and Kreacher was standing in the gateway. "Mistress Ginny heard you arrive and asked me to bring you straight over."

I followed him through the open gateway and into Harry's back yard. "I never noticed a gate here before," I said looking back at the fence, but there was no gate, just a normal fence the same as there had always been. I turned to look at Kreacher. "Where's the gate, Kreacher?"

"Gate? Master Dudley, there's never been a gate in the fence. Mistress Ginny asked me to bring you straight over; I just came to fetch you. Kreacher always does as Master Harry or mistress Ginny tells him to."

"Err! Right. Thank you Kreacher."

I followed him through the back door and into the kitchen, Ginny was stirring something on the stove and Gabrielle was setting the table. "Thank you for letting me use the internet from yours, Dudley. Maman and Papa are pleased that I am all moved in safely, and Maman is pleased to know there is someone living nearby that I consider a friend. Family is all very well to be with, but you need friends as well, do you not agree?"

I nodded at her comment, "I agree with you, but aren't I family as well, after all my cousin and your sister are in laws?"

"Of course, but that is different, I feel different about you to what I do for Harry, Ginny, or any others of their family.

Ginny looked hard at Gabrielle, "Gabby, are you certain of this? You're not going to do anything to hurt Dudley are you! I don't mind you being friendly with him, but I'm sure Harry would agree with me, that he doesn't want his heart broken or anything by anyone!"

"I will not do anything to Dudley that a normal girl would not do! My intentions are strictly honourable. If we go any further as friends it will be his choice, I am not going to trap him into anything because I am part veela. That would be dishonest." She smiled at me, and I gulped. It seemed she had plans set firmly in her mind, was I really ready for this. I enjoyed her company and I liked it when she kissed me, but was I ready for this to go further, I mean I was 23, a muggle and not that experienced with girls, and she was 17, not entirely human, and beautiful. I do hope I knew what I was letting myself in for...

Author note: the use of the term 'bastard' in this chapter is meant to be taken in its original meaning, as illegitimacy, not a swear word. In the way the chapter runs, the title should read, the Lodger, Fires and Crystal Balls, but that didn't read right. The next chapter has already been started and you will learn more about the lodger, the significance of fires and what the crystal balls are all about.

Please review: this chapter was very easy to write, and seemed to be getting a bit longer than I usually post so look out for the next one which I intend to post at the same time. Crystal Balls, Fires and, The Lodger (Part 2).


	22. Chapter 22

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 22: Crystal Balls, Fires, and The Lodger. (Part 2)

Just as we were taking our seats for our meal, there was a crack from the back garden and Harry walked in looking a little singed around the edges, his robes still smouldering. "That young lady has some serious magical control issues, she set me on fire as I tried to apparate her to St. Mungo's and I left the healers placing wards against fire around the ward after she set the curtains on fire. I can see why the parents were afraid of her. It's one of the few cases of single type spontaneous magic, I've ever heard of."

"Pardon!" said Gabrielle, "how do you mean?"

"Most young witches or wizards will manifest their magic in many diverse ways to protect themselves against perceived danger; I flew onto a school roof to escape bullies and 'vanished' the glass in the reptile house after Dudley shoved me out of the way at the zoo. This young lady just lights fires, even putting herself in danger when she does it."

"What is strange about that, both Fleur and myself were the same, all veela have fire magic," she held out her hand a dancing red flame appeared on her hand, as we watched it changed colour going through every colour of the rainbow, then floated from her hand and formed a multicoloured halo over her head. "That is nothing, but I did not wish to cause any fire repression spells you have in the house to go off. What is the child's parentage?"

"I don't know about her being half-veela, her mother is a muggle!"

"So what is the significance of that?"

"Well how could a veela get her pregnant? They're female aren't they?"

"Harry, you are showing your British ignorance, veela come in both sexes, how do you suppose young veela come to be? Have you not heard of your old muggle legends of incubi and succubi; they are both based on veela who would attack innocent muggles. The child's father must have been a male veela!"

"It's a possibility I suppose, the mother mentioned a holiday abroad and something about being raped whilst she was over there. I don't know it could have been a male veela, the young lady had been brought up to believe sex outside marriage was wrong."

"Might I ask, how old is the young girl?"

"She's eight years old; her mother was abroad nine years ago obviously. Why what is the significance of that?"

"About five years ago, just when I was beginning my second year at Beauxbatons, there was a big story in the French muggle and magical press about a serial rapist who had been caught. The muggle papers talked of how he would drug his victims, but the magical papers told of a male veela who was using his allure to rape innocent victims, muggle and witch alike. There was a big talk by the teachers about it to students. Beauxbatons has a large number of part veela children attending there."

"It could be the same perpetrator I suppose. It certainly sounds similar circumstances. How did you learn to control your fire powers? Was it hard? I mean this girl is going to need some help in doing that, before she is safe!"

"It is not hard, you just have to learn control, and most children manage in a couple of months. The house where she is living should have fire protection spells everywhere, but normally they do not harm themselves. The veela side of the ancestry gives us certain immunity from being burnt."

"Would you be able to tell if the girl was part veela if you met her? British wizards don't know how to detect that, as nearly all part-veela are born aboard."

"I would be happy to help, perhaps if I could visit her with you tomorrow?" Harry agreed that this was this could be arranged. The rest of the evening was spent talking about the differences between the two schools, Beauxbatons and Hogwarts. I hated to admit it to Harry, but I think I favoured Beauxbatons from what I heard. There were a lot of half-wizards there, half veela, half nymph, half centaur, all sorts. It did sound exotic in its way."

The next evening, whilst at my house to use the internet, Gabrielle was telling me excitedly about how she had known the girl was part veela, a certain feeling as soon as she got within a few feet of her. It was almost like being with her family again. A quiet little talk with the girl and a demonstration of her own fire magic had helped calm her down. She was very keen to learn to control the fires, but very adamant that she would not go back home to her parents. Harry had been there throughout this conversation and showed her some documents that said she was a ward of court, and never going back, she perked up even more.

"I am thinking this young girl will control her fire magic very easily. She managed to make fire occur almost on command after our conversation, of course it got out of control, but the fire protection spells worked. It was good progress. I am to visit every evening whilst she is in the hospital, to help her learn."

I saw Gabrielle most evenings as she came round to use the internet to speak with her parents via email. She updated me about the young girl's progress with her fire powers and it did seem she was getting better. After she started working at the ministry, the talk of the evenings changed to the lamentable lack of computers at the ministry and the amount of rubbish she had to plough through at work as well. "There is so much paperwork, almost a tree a day, it is terrible, why do they not use computers. It would be so much easier."

"Well why don't you see what you can do? The department has made no progress in getting desktop computers or laptops to work. They just give up. Too much protection is needed to shield them." She perked up at the prospect of something real to focus her energies on. The thought of ploughing through piles of papers was getting her down.

Gabrielle was very vigilant with her own project at the ministry, working after hours she tried to get any sort of computer to work, buying old computers and games consoles from junk shops, and some website called eBay, such as ZX Spectrums, Commodore 64's and Atari's in an attempt to maybe get a foothold on the spells required. All apparently without success, as Harry probably wouldn't have approved we had several fires in my fireplace that year that smelled terrible, burning plastic was never my favourite smell, but at least when Gabrielle threw a fireball at another computer or games console that had failed to work for her, it was over quickly.

Gabrielle and I were enjoying each other's company. Her almost daily visits to mine meant she usually only returned to number 12 when it was time for bed. Our taste in music, our tastes in food, even our taste in books was similar. I had gotten into reading old crime novels after I moved into the house when I discovered a stack of old paperbacks apparently forgotten in the attic one day. Gabrielle had noticed me reading one of these, Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie, one day at work on my lunch break and after reading the back, had asked to borrow it. Between us we read the lot.

I had found out from Harry that Gabrielle would be celebrating her 18th birthday about five days before Christmas, I know that 17 is the wizard worlds age of majority, but I decided I wanted to do something special for her anyway; so I bought a pair of tickets for a show that was running in the West End at the time, 'We Will Rock You' and took her for a meal beforehand. I reckoned that a proper dinner at a muggle restaurant and an evening at the theatre, would be an evening out, she might enjoy, and it would take her mind off the frustrating problem of the computers.

We both had a really pleasant evening together and appreciated each other's company that night; it was walking to the tube station that we passed a muggle charity shop and looked in the window just as a means to pass the time. There was an old battered glass paperweight in view on one of the shelves and I joked that maybe she should buy it and try to read the future to see if she would ever solve the problem. She was still giggling about that as we boarded the underground to take us home.

I didn't see much of Harry, Ginny or Gabrielle after that until the New Year, as they all went to The Burrow for Christmas and I went to Little Whinging to spend it with Mum and Dad. A day that I enjoyed somewhat over that period was to my surprise, the day we went to visit Aunt Marge. The only embarrassing thing about that whole day was her pressing me for details, trying to find out if I had a girlfriend yet, and was there any prospect of me getting married.

I did venture to say that I had been seeing a lot of a young woman by the name of Gabrielle, but I really didn't think we were girlfriend and boyfriend, but I did enjoy her company. Both Aunt Marge and Mum were thrilled to hear about this, but Dad apparently disapproved of me going out with some bloody foreign girl, what was wrong with a proper English girl, and what sort of name was Gabrielle anyway. I didn't mention to any of them, the family connection I had with her, or the connection through work, I wasn't going to give Dad any more ammunition against the wizard world.

New Year was spent back in London, Harry and Ginny were paying host this year to the entire Weasley clan at number 12 and I had been invited as well. I thoroughly enjoyed that evening catching up with Ron and Hermione, Percy, Audrey and their young family. I was also introduced to Victoire, the young daughter of Bill and Fleur, who was almost a carbon copy of her mother, but with red hair, she was going to cut quite a swathe through the boys at boys at Hogwarts when she was older I swear.

At the end of the evening I was surprised when I was approached by Kreacher, normally he was polite to me and would get me a drink or something if I asked when I visited, but he came and asked if I would mind if some of miss Gabrielle's stuff was placed in my lounge for her to work on there out of hours. He thanked me on her behalf and left to go about his own business. I must admit I was curious why Gabrielle hadn't asked me herself, but I would find that out I'm sure when she came round to use my internet or on some other pretext. She had been spending a lot of time at mine.

Over the next few days, my lounge acquired quite a collection of oddments that she was gathering for her project. There was an old muggle typewriter, a cardboard box about the size of a football, that was far too heavy to hold a football, a wizard radio, a pack of cheap batteries, and a crystal that looked like quartz or something similar about the size of a cricket ball, (baseball to US readers). Gabrielle would check her growing pile of mysterious objects, each time there was a new arrival, and tick it off on a list she kept in her bag.

It wasn't until mid January that a final package arrived by owl one evening as we were sitting together on my sofa, drinking coffee and listening to a CD that she began to get animated about the whole pile of junk.

She glued the wizard radio, the crystal, and batteries together using her wand making what looked some of that modern art you see, in the galleries, valued at thousands of pounds; just a pile of junk in the opinion of anybody with two or more brain cells. The last but one piece to this whole piece of modern art was the contents of the cardboard box. A large glass ball which she placed in the hole at the top of the typewriter where the keys would rise through to strike a piece of paper if one were inserted. She looked at me and said, "wish me luck Dudley," and opened the package that had arrived about an hour earlier.

The contents mystified me; it looked like a pile of dirty grey stuff. Like something you'd find under the bed when you did a major spring clean. With a wave of her wand, she set her piece of art floating about a foot above the coffee table where she'd been assembling it and pointed her wand at the pile of 'dust' that had been delivered earlier. Slowly the dust unravelled itself, to show itself as what looked to be a giant cobweb, almost as big as the lounge wall. The cobweb wrapped itself several times around the floating monstrosity until it resembled nothing more than a cobweb similar to one made by one of those funnel web spiders you saw on television, only one that had been on acid.

With another wave of her wand the cobwebs were slowly absorbed into the structure until they were completely out of sight. The contraption, then settled back on the coffee table. "If we succeed with this, I want both myself and my boyfriend to get the full credit!"

"I looked at her askance! You've got a boyfriend! Well, I should expect it I suppose, a beautiful young lady like yourself. Who's the lucky chap, anyone I know?"

Deep in thought she appeared not to have heard me, she waved her wand again, she'd wear the ruddy thing out at this rate, she'd been casting spells none stop for nearly an hour. "Acromantula vita Microsoft." I looked hard at her and the contraption at this last word, that one I recognised. Now I had some idea what this was supposed to be!

The glass ball, crystal ball, I suppose on top of the 'computer' glowed with an internal red light for a few seconds and then went back to its usual clear colour. It looked just like a pile of junk again. "tas de putain de la paperasserie inutile," she spat out, that sounded bad whatever it meant. She threw her wand on the table took a deep breath and looked across at me. "Sorry Dudley, no order of Merlin for us today."

"For us? What do you mean, I thought it was going to be you and your boyfriend getting credit here, what have I...?" I stopped mid sentence.

Gabrielle was looking hard at me, "what is wrong, do you not wish to be my boyfriend? If that is your wish I will respect it."

I leant towards her and shut her up with a kiss. She responded passionately, almost climbing onto my lap as the kiss continued. She shifted her position slightly and suddenly the whole situation changed, we both ended up in heap on the floor as the sofa overbalanced and we tumbled backwards. Lying in a pile of twisted human limbs we started giggling and eventually rolling about in laughter over the humour of the situation.

Feeling something hard digging into her, Gabrielle said, "why Dudley, I think you're enjoying this just a little too much!" Well that caused more laughter as I removed the offending article, my wallet, from my pocket and threw it over the sofa in the direction of the coffee table.

There was short familiar fanfare and a blue light glowed from the other side of the sofa. Looking quickly at each other stood up to look at the coffee table. There was a steady blue glow from the crystal ball sitting atop the structure Gabrielle had built, my wallet leaning up against it.

We righted the sofa between us and took a seat side by side looking at the glowing crystal ball. Gabrielle reached towards the keyboard and thumped the coffee table with her fist. She grabbed he wand from the floor where it had rolled and waved in the air, "convoquer une souris."

There was a dead mouse on the coffee table and a mournful hoot from the garden. We looked at each other and started laughing again. I went into the kitchen and removed a chicken breast from the fridge and tossed it into the garden, "sorry Athena, we needed your mouse. I watched as the familiar shape of Harry's owl glided down, grabbed the piece of chicken and flew back to the tree where she had obviously been about to enjoy her meal.

"I hope your enjoy your mouse, because I just had placate Athena with your chicken, fair is fair, don't you agree." Gabrielle nodded, obviously not having listened to word I said as she stroked the mouse that was now attached to the 'computer' she had created. She stared cross eyed at the crystal ball for a few seconds whilst tapping on the typewriters keys.

She removed my wallet from where it had been sitting and handed it back to me, the crystal ball losing its glow as she did. "Please Dudley, would you get your laptop and check if there is a new email from me? Subject magic computer. I did so and the aforementioned email was in my inbox. Nothing in it. Just the subject line and an empty page. She kissed me again at the news. "Now please reply to the message, just as I did to yours." I complied and she placed her own wand on the top of her new computer obviously planning to see if she could retrieve it. It stayed dead, nothing happened.

I placed my wallet on the table touching the computer again and the crystal ball lit up again. Staring in a cross eyed manner, Gabrielle stroked the dead mouse and tapped on the keys again and whooped in delight as she obviously managed to retrieve the reply I'd sent her. "Now, why did my wand not work Dudley, it has never failed me before, it is cherry and veela hair, one of my grandmothers; what is yours?"

"No idea, never really thought about it..." then a memory surfaced in my mind of young Dennis Creevey checking my wand at the ministry when I'd gone for my interview. "Err blackthorn and thestral tail hair, if I remember right. I was told that when I went for my interview."

Gabrielle nodded and made a note in the book she had checked everything off in earlier and placed it back in her handbag. "Well it works here, but the ministry might be another thing, pity it's such a bloody ugly pile of junk. No offense, Gabby, but it looks like it's ready for the dustbin (garbage can)."

She looked quickly at me, "You just called me Gabby, that is the first time you have ever done that!"

"Err! Sorry is anything wrong? I won't do it again I promise," I said, holding my hands up in surrender.

"No, is good, shows you are becoming like family already, only family have ever called me that, even my friends at school are still calling me Gabrielle. I suspect some sort of spell, probably grandmamma. It is nice to hear you say it." She looked at the contraption sitting on the coffee table. "You are right; this is a pile of junk." She waved her wand and muttered something under her breath and suddenly there was a top of the range laptop sitting in its place, "much better, non!"

The house phone rang, only the second time since I'd moved in. the last time had been an emergency at work. I answered it and was surprised to hear Harry's voice, "Dudley just what on earth are you and Gabrielle up to over there. It's nearly two in the morning. I've just got in from work, overtime and Kreacher informed me she was not back yet. He can't set the wards up until she's in, as she's technically a lodger and as such can't get in once they're active without being let in."

"Sorry Harry, I didn't realise the time." Gabrielle looked me and then at the new laptop on the coffee table and shook her head, putting her finger to her lips, I nodded in understanding. "My girlfriend and I were just enjoying each other's company and didn't notice how late it was!"

With a cry of "your girlfriend," the phone was slammed down and almost before I'd managed to hang my own phone up, there was a loud banging on the front door. "Dudley Dursley, you open this door before I blow it off its hinges." I quickly went and opened the door and was pinned to the wall by Harry's hand on my chest, his wand pointing in my face. "What did you mean about your girlfriend, if you've hurt her in any way?"

Before I got a chance to say anything, there was a cry of "Expelliarmus" from the lounge and Harry's wand flew from his hand over his head and was caught neatly by Gabrielle. "Harry James Potter, I thank you to unhand my boyfriend and desist from threatening him or you will feel the type of magic that only a veela can wield."

Harry turned slowly to face Gabrielle, standing in the doorway to the lounge; I admit she looked extremely threatening standing there. If I was the subject of her anger, I think I'd have started running, fast. "But Gabby... Dudley! He's my cousin... a muggle!"

"Harry Potter, I never expected to hear such prejudiced rubbish from you. It is no business of yours who I go out with and I am going out with Dudley; it wouldn't matter to me who he was; even if he was your brother. As for him being a muggle, what has that got to do with it? Now unhand my boyfriend."

Harry let go of my shirt and I adjusted my clothing as he looked intently at Gabrielle. "Are you sure about this? I mean he's my... he's Dudley, he's..."

"He is the person I have decided I want to go out with, I gave him the option of it not being so if he so wished, he does want it. He is also the cousin of one of the greatest wizards in current wizarding history, that should be more than enough to recommend him to you. As for him being a muggle, ha! My grandfather was a muggle. He has behaved like a perfect gentleman towards me and I happen to love him. I am of age and who I date is no business of yours." Harry gulped and looked a little sheepish. "Now, was there anything else you wished to say?" Harry shook his head meekly. "Very well, I apologise for it being so late, that you had to check on me, but I would like to kiss my boyfriend goodnight, I will be round in a few minutes." She handed Harry his wand back. "Now please leave us be!"

Harry accepted his wand back, with a muffled, "thank you." And walked back out of the house, looking back as he did so. Gabrielle came out of the lounge and slammed the front door shut.

"Are you alright Dudley, he did not hurt you? If he has hurt you at all."

"I'm fine Gabrielle, but bloody hell, you looked scary then, even I was getting ready to run. I'm sure I hurt him more in the past than he did me. Don't worry!"

"Always! But if you are positive that he did no harm, I will believe you."

"He was just concerned for you. I understand that and accept it was an overreaction on his part. Now what were you saying about kissing your boyfriend good night. We'd better hurry or he might be back to check up on us!"

Gabrielle laughed at this and leaned forward and gave me a very satisfying kiss goodnight. "You are right, he might be in to check you are not trying to have your wicked muggle way with Me." she gave me a final peck on the cheek and walked out the door back towards number 12. I watched her go in the front door which was open slightly to let her in. This had been a most interesting night and quite a surprising one. I had helped make a wizard computer; found myself a beautiful girlfriend, or had she found me, whatever; and been threatened by my cousin. I wondered what tomorrow would bring...

Author Note: At this time eBay was a relatively new concept in the UK. Nowadays of course I believe it's one of the major internet sales sites in the world. The price of progress!

Please review: I am extremely grateful to all those nice people who are reading my little work of fiction and liking it so much that they are putting on alert. A few words in reply in a review is not much to ask is it; please review.


	23. Chapter 23

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 23: A Date In Diagon Alley.

The following morning, I was seated in the kitchen with a bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee for breakfast. I got up to answer the door, to find Gabrielle standing there. She looked at me standing there in my pyjamas. "Not the right look for you Dudley, we'll have to sort those out."

I looked down at what I was wearing and blushed, "Mum brought them me."

"Exactly, no man should wear pyjamas brought by his mother. Go get dressed, we're going out. We need to buy some things." She pushed me to the stairs and went into the kitchen, placing my cup and bowl into the bowl and began to wash up.

A few minutes later I was just getting out of the shower, and crossing the landing to my bedroom to dress. Gabrielle was half way up the stairs, and stopped to look at me with the towel wrapped round my waist. "A pity, I was going to ask if you wanted me to wash your back, but I suppose I could help you get dressed instead. I never knew you had such muscles."

I felt myself blush furiously. I'm sure I must have been steaming, foregoing further need for a towel. "That's ok! I can manage. I'll be down in five."

She laughed, "Spoilsport!" but to my relief she went back downstairs.

I dressed quickly and went downstairs to find Gabrielle sat in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee, another sitting on the table for me. Blushing again at the suggestive look she was giving me, I sat down in front of the coffee she had prepared for me. "Thank you."

"I can't believe you're still blushing about what I said on the stairs." I felt myself going red again. "Definitely, very cute." I avoided looking her in the eyes, hoping my face would cool down soon.

Gabrielle preceded me out the front door and grabbed my hand as I was closing the door behind myself. "Don't look, but I'm positive we're being watched from next door." why is it whenever anybody says 'don't look' that you immediately want to.

I covered my lapse by pulling Gabrielle towards me and giving her a kiss, to which she responded ardently. "Might as well give them something to watch!"

I jumped as I felt a pinch to my backside, how had she managed to do that, she was holding my hand again as we walked along the street and I'm sure he other arm wasn't long enough to reach behind her back and pinch me there. I looked at her, "veela" was all she said and winked.

I followed her lead as she knew what her plans were for today and we made our way to the Leaky Cauldron and through into Diagon Alley. Whereas the street in the muggle world was cold and icy underfoot, Diagon Alley was warm and welcoming. Wood fires burning every few feet in what looked to be oil drums similar to what I had seen some down and outs huddling around occasionally. I followed her into a shop I had noticed when I had been here before, but never been into, Ollivander's.

There were two gentlemen in there both with rather startling silver eyes, they must have been related. The eldest I assumed would be the father or even grandfather of the other, who looked about my age. It was the older gentleman who addressed us first. "can I help you, I'm afraid I don't recognise either of you, which is most unusual, I pride myself on remembering every wand I've ever sold, but I can't place you!" he held out his hand and Gabrielle handed him her wand without any reservation; he looked at the wood, twiddled with it, twisted and even looked at it lengthways. "Hmm, twelve inches willow, quite swishy and veela hair, same veela in fact that supplied the hair for that extremely nice young lady from Beauxbatons! Now what was her name?"

"Fleur Delacour, she was competing in the Tri-Wizard tournament at Hogwarts, my older sister. I'm Gabrielle."

"Delighted to meet you, Miss Delacour," he gave the wand a wave and a bunch of flowers flew from the end, which he promptly caught and handed to Gabrielle, along with her wand. He looked at me and held out his hand. Following Gabrielle's lead I took my wand from my wallet and handed it to him. His eyes immediately lit up. "No need to examine this one, blackthorn and thestral tail hair, one of several I've made for the ministry for muggle relatives. Never worked much with thestral tail hairs before that, bit too strong, tends to overload the wand."

He raised the wand and I was soaked by barrel load of water. "Oops, sorry! Told you. He pulled another wand from behind the desk and pointed it at me. I was blasted from all sides by warm air, like a hair dryer; I was dry, even my clothes. "As I was saying, much too powerful, that was meant to be a glassful of water. The thestral tail hair tends to grab the intent of the spell and multiply it out of all proportion."

"How many times is it amplified?"

"No idea, but take for example that last spell I did, meant to get about half a pint, I estimate about 10 gallons of water hit you, so that was about 160 times amplified. Works differently with different spells. One old family story tells of how the Great Fire of London was started by a baker trying to light his ovens with a thestral tail hair wand. So as you might imagine, not much call for it. Of course in the case of the muggle wands, as much amplification as you can use is needed, so I felt it worth a try!"

Gabrielle pulled our laptop from her handbag, it must have had one of those extension charms on it, I mean that bag was hardly big enough to fit my wallet in. "What's this, muggle technology, won't do anything for it I'm afraid. No anima or life energy to channel to power the spell." Gabrielle waved her own wand and it immediately resembled the pile of junk from the other night.

Mr. Ollivander examined all the parts in it! "Crystal, ball, some muggle tubes, acromantula webs and what I believe is called a writetipper of something of the sort! What's it all for?"

Gabrielle looked at me and I placed my wand on the top of our 'laptop'. The crystal ball glowed and she stroked the mouse a few moments and typed something on the keyboard. Finally hitting the return key. "Well it like some sort of child's toy, but what does it do?" I've just sent a small note to my mother in southwest France; she's expecting it and will send us a reply, saying that she's got it."

"So it talks to owls does it? Seems a bit elaborate for that. I mean you won't get a reply for days."

"Gabrielle placed the laptop in front of Mr. Ollivander, look into the crystal ball, you should see reply any second." The laptop made a small fanfare and Gabrielle stroked the mouse a few seconds and Mr. Ollivander appeared to be reading something off the screen, at least his lips moved.

"Most ingenious, but that could have been set up before, I mean this could be an elaborate trick!"

Gabrielle winced at this remark. "Ok! Let us see, ask me a question that can't have been set up in the past. I will send it to Maman and she can send her reply."

Mr. Ollivander thought for a few seconds, "hmm, how many generations is your mother removed from her veela ancestry?" Gabrielle typed the message out slowly in front of Mr. Ollivander as if she were printing it by hand, one letter at a time. She then hit the carriage return lever.

Mr. Ollivander continued staring at the crystal ball, and a few seconds later there was the same short fanfare. Gabrielle stroked the mouse a few times and Mr. Ollivander could be seen to be reading something from within the crystal ball again. "Most ingenious Miss Delacour, you've invented a device for sending instant messages without getting covered in ash, but what else is it for, it's a little ugly to tell the truth. Hurts the eyes to look at for more than a few seconds as well! Does it do anything else?"

Gabrielle waved her wand and one again we had what looked like a normal laptop. She looked at me and I grinned, I came over and typed in a web address, 'http (colon slash slash) www (dot) hogwarts (dot) whiznet (dot) co (dot) uk', "I think you may like this one Mr. Ollivander!"

The laptop suddenly began to play a video file. "Welcome to Hogwarts the finest school in England for the education of young men and women with magical ability..." the video continued for a couple of minutes about the history of the school and the classes on offer, then, "...for a guided tour of Hogwarts use your mouse to activate the links to various sites around the school." Gabrielle showed him how to use the mouse pad and he clicked on the 'dormitory' link.

"The students study and sleep in their own house dormitories and common rooms, this is the Gryffindor common room, where students can do their home work assigned by teachers, relax with friends, and enjoy their free time." The video then led us to a dormitory, "this is the first year's boys dormitory, as you can see..."

Mr. Ollivander watched and fiddled with the laptop for a while, watching a quidditch match and one of Hagrid's classes on unicorns. "Most ingenious, but what is the ultimate purpose?"

I took over; the article you have just seen and played with is stored somewhere in the country in electronic form. It enables the parents of muggleborn children to see the school before they decide to send their children there. This form of document is stored on the internet, and accessed by the World Wide Web, the www I typed in a few minutes ago. With this computer we have access to more information than is stored in every muggle and magical library in the world, all at the click of a button. We found it needs my wand on it to make it work; muggle versions don't in the magical world. What we would like your advice on is it just my wand or could we make it possible for every wizard to have one of these?"

"My dear boy, such an interesting problem," he turned to the young man in the shop with us. "Xander could you fetch half a dozen tail hairs from that chest we've got in the back and bring them here?" he turned back to us, "I see why the acromantula web was needed, sympathetic magic so to speak, web to web, most ingenious. It is quite some time since I've enjoyed a challenge in my field of work."

The young man returned with the requested tail hairs, handed them to Mr. Ollivander, "here you are grandfather." Mr. Ollivander removed my card from where it was sitting on the laptop. He took a tail hair and wove it round the screen and keyboard in a figure eight and pointing his own wand at it, made it slide out of sight into the body of the laptop. It remained dead. He took a second tail hair and repeated the procedure. Our laptop came back to life with a familiar beep.

"Would you be able to supply the thestral hairs we might need for these. We're possibly going to need a lot?"

"My dear boy, I've got two ruddy great crates of the things out back. The company first bought some around 12BC, couldn't use them. We've tried occasionally through the years but well, no luck doesn't help that we get a supply of them every year from Hagrid, along with unicorn tail hairs, hippogriff feathers and such like. They've been mounting up for years. You can have the lot if you want them!"

"Maybe later Mr. Ollivander, how much would you want for each one? We've got a few more tests to apply, but it does look like we can do business."

"My dear boy you can have the lot, I'm just glad to be rid of them. I've made enough of those muggle wands to last at least ten years."

"I appreciate the offer, but never give anything away that you can sell. How much do you charge the ministry for each one, when you make the special wands?"

"Two for a sickle, just to get rid of them including the binding, then there's the wood, but that's a different matter, you won't need that."

"Alright, we'll give the same if we over go into serious production, if it takes of the way it has in the muggle world, they'll be off your hands in no time. Thank you Mr. Ollivander, you've been very helpful to us. Do we owe you anything for your time?"

"No, nothing, it's been quite interesting. Do you think one of those contraptions would be good at keeping track of things, I can never keep track of wand components, always running out of things like phoenix feathers or holly wood."

"If you kept track of stuff as you used it, yes it could, computers are extremely good at storing information and working with figures, so it could help."

"Sounds marvellous my boy, I wish you all the best; by the way I never did learn your name?"

"It's Dursley, Dudley Dursley." I shook his hand.

"Very nice meeting you Mr. Dursley. I hope to see more of you."

We left the shop feeling positive that out little experiment was working and we had an ample supply of magical materials to allow for the numbers we might need. By this time it was approaching mid afternoon and I felt I could do with something to eat, my inadequate bowl of cereal having been unfinished this morning when Gabrielle had arrived at my door. I took Gabrielle's hand, "come on, let's go get something to eat at the Leaky Cauldron, it'll be the first time I've taken you for a meal, since I officially became your boyfriend."

Gabrielle obviously approved of this idea, judging by the kiss I got in response. Boy was I enjoying myself. I had a beautiful girlfriend who was obviously liking me very much. I couldn't believe my luck.

The Leaky Cauldron appeared to be almost deserted, obviously we had missed the lunch time crowd, we both took a seat at a table, sitting next to each other and looked at the menu. We both gave our order to Hannah when she came over and after some short discussion about what would be appropriate for a celebratory meal; I ordered a bottle of elf made wine to accompany our food.

The meal was enjoyable, but the main object of my attention throughout was the beautiful girl sitting at the table with me. As we were finishing up and I was looking intensely into her eyes, there was a discrete cough from behind me. "Hello Gabrielle, what brings you to Diagon Alley on this cold winters day? I thought you'd be wrapped up warmly over at Harry's and who is the lucky chap having dinner with you?"

"Must you interrupt my girlfriend and I?" I turned round to face whoever it was that was questioning us!" I was faced with the slightly familiar face of George Weasley staring at me. He looked at Gabrielle and myself in shock.

"Gabrielle! You're going out with Dudley, how long has this been going on? No offense Dudley, but I didn't think you were her type, not that I know much about what her type is you understand?"

"What concern of yours is it who I date, George? I am perfectly capable of choosing whomsoever I want to go out with and I happen to love Dudley. Is it the function of your entire family to criticise my choice of boyfriend? I think not, so butt out!"

"What is that supposed to mean, my entire family? Who knows about this?"

"Just Harry and Ginny so far, Harry almost blew Dudley's front door in last night when he was told, and I happen to know that someone was watching us from his house when we left this morning."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to pry, it's just, I dunno, odd! I never pictured you with a muggle; I thought you'd go for a wizard like Fleur did!"

"Hmph! As if I ever took notice of what Fleur did. She was all for using her allure to find someone who was not affected by it, that is why she 'caught' your brother. He seemed the least susceptible to it. I choose to work without unfair advantage. I wanted someone who liked me for me, not because of or because of my ancestry. I have already mentioned all this to Maman in my emails to her and she is perfectly happy with my choice."

"You've already told your mother about us! When was this?"

"I told her properly over Christmas that I wanted you for my boyfriend, you were clever, funny, attractive and cute." I felt my blush rising again, "and she remembers you from Birmingham, that exhibition and said you seemed a gentleman. She is perfectly happy that I know what I am doing!"

George looked quite impressed at this revelation, but I didn't feel completely alright with it at the moment. "I'm flattered you told your mother about me and she approved, but you've never met my family. Dad is an absolute hater of all things magical; he doesn't even know we had to use magic to save his life. He thinks he had a muggle operation to 'cure' his heart attack. I told Mum and Dad that I had been seeing a lot of you, but not that we were anything more than friends, which we weren't at the time. Mum won't care you are magical, but to Dad, that will be enough to brand you complexly unacceptable. He was against you from the moment he heard you were French, let alone magical."

"I have met your cousin, with whom you have lived most of your childhood, last night he apologised to me about his attitude on learning of this development. I accepted, but told him that he must also apologise to you! I have heard about your past with Harry, but you are not your past. You are a different person to who you were then, and I happen to love you. Is there anything wrong with that?"

George shook my by the hand and leant over to give Gabrielle a kiss on the cheek, "Okay, I can see you both mean what you're saying. I'm envious of you, Dudley. She's a very beautiful young lady, little too young for me, but I won't interrupt you anymore. I wish you both the best." He left us and went to the bar to order himself something to eat.

"Do you think we'll be having any more people saying you're an idiot for dating me?"

"I do not think so and do not care. Fleur knows and will probably have told Bill, I told her everything at Christmas, she knew I liked you from the letter Harry sent her in reply to my first letter; she was happy for me. Said that from what she remembered of you, you seemed like a nice young man. The rest of Bill's family, well I do not believe they know. I asked Fleur not to tell them, in case you were not happy to be my boyfriend. She agreed, maybe I should let her know it is no longer a secret."

"Not yet, there is still my family to tell, and it had probably better be sooner rather than later. Mum occasionally buys the Sunday Prophet and reads it at Mrs. Figg's. I'd rather she found out from me before reading in the paper that I dating the younger sister of a former tri-wizard champion. She might not be capable of magic, but I'm sure she would be cursing me for not telling her.""

"Very well, Dudley, I agree with you, but I think it must be sooner rather than later! A lot of people have seen us and she may hear something."

I reluctantly agreed and as we were walking home I called her at home. "Mum, I was wondering when I could err, visit. I want to properly introduce you to my girlfriend?" Well to say that Mum was pleased was an understatement. It transpired that the next day, Mum and Dad were having Aunt Marge over for dinner, it being her 70th birthday. So reluctantly I agreed to come and join in the event. Oh boy, this would be fun...

Please review. All the lovely comments I have had so far are a real encouragement to me. So please continue to do the same. Look out for the next chapter: Dinner with the Dursleys.


	24. Chapter 24

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 24: Dinner With the Dursleys.

To say that Harry's reaction to the idea of Mum and Dad meeting my new girlfriend was unenthusiastic would have been a bit of an understatement. He had been on my doorstep to apologise as soon as Gabrielle had gone into number 12, but he wasn't impressed with the news of where we were going tomorrow. "Are you mad? I know your Mum has come to accept me and the fact you are working at the ministry, but there's your Dad, he's going to freak at the fact you're dating a witch, and as for the fact she's not entirely human, well, he'll bloody kill her."

"I'm not going to tell him that. I'm only telling Mum in private at some point that Gabrielle is a witch. The most truth Dad will learn about her is that she's French. I've got another good reason for not discussing magic that night and so has Dad. They're entertaining Aunt Marge, it's her 70th birthday, so your 'freakiness' will not be on the list of things to talk about. Dad knows that Marge has started to see you in a new light, but as she's not in the need to know about magic nobody is going to bring it up."

I accepted his apology, but was still a bit hurt that he thought I would risk putting Gabrielle in danger because of Dad still hurt. As if I would do that. I'd knock the bloated bigot on his proverbial if he tried anything.

The next afternoon Gabrielle joined me in the back garden of number 11 as I stowed the large bunch of flowers in the 'pannier' on my bike, the one that Harry had supplied me with on our mutual visit to a police station when we dealt with that part veela witch. Gabrielle donned the helmet I had purchased for her that same morning. I had managed to find a motorbike dealer that was open on Sunday some distance away and had flown there to buy her a helmet.

If we were going to use my bike, she needed to wear one in case we were stopped by the police. Everything to appear as normal as possible to my family and the law. Gabrielle giggled as she put the helmet on, a totally unnecessary precaution as the bike had several safety spells on it. I could theoretically ride this bike across a frozen lake and not skid; I couldn't roll or crash it even if I tried. It felt good to have her behind me on the bike, her arms wrapped round my waist as I took off from the garden and headed to Surrey.

Apprehensively I landed about two miles from Little Whinging and drove the rest of the way in the 'normal' manner. Technically I flew about an inch above the road, but to all intents and purposes to anyone watching us go buy, we were doing nothing unusual. Gabrielle had agreed that for the sake of appearances with Aunt Marge and Dad; that she would work in for a specialist organisation that adapted technology for people with special needs. I was sure Mum would be aware of what special needs these were, but I was hoping Dad and Aunt Marge would see it as working for the disabled community.

I finally pulled into the driveway of number 4 Privet Drive and Gabrielle climbed off, followed by me. She removed her helmet and shook her hair in an attempt to undo the damage done by the helmet. I couldn't help it, I pulled her towards me for a kiss; she really was beautiful. There was a cough from behind, "are you two going to keep me waiting on this doorstep much longer or are you going to come in and stop making a spectacle of yourself for the neighbours."

I reluctantly released her and turned to the front door, "Gabrielle, allow me to introduce you to Vernon Dursley, my father." I gave her hand a squeeze as I said this; Dad wasn't my choice of the first person to meet my new girlfriend.

Gabrielle squeezed my hand and released it, and went up to Dad, giving a kiss on both cheeks, "delighted to meet you Mr. Dursley, Dudley has told me so much about you," that was a downright lie, I think I'd hardly mentioned him to her except to say he was a fat, ignorant bigot. "He tells me you run your own company, making drills, was it Dudley?" she looked back at me and I nodded. Where had she found some of this stuff out?

Dad looked slightly dazed, but nodded and we followed him into the house. Aunt Marge was sitting in a large armchair next to the lit gas fire that sat below the mantlepiece, which was dominated by several pictures of me on it. "I take it this is your Aunt, is it not Dudley?" she went to Aunt Marge and kissed her on both cheeks as well. I've never seen that sort of vacant expression on her face before, she looked as if she'd just been given some sort of tranquiliser.

She came round as I gave her the flowers, I'd bought for her and wished her s happy birthday and she thanked me, her expression suggested that she was trying to figure out if she had missed something.

With both them both wearing some sort of vacant expression on their faces I looked at Gabrielle, who gave me a quick wink. It seemed she was being 'veela' enough to affect them, I wonder why I wasn't being affected like that? There was a voice from the kitchen, "Vernon! Who was that at the door? Was it Dudley and his new girlfriend?"

Dad seemed to snap out of his daze, "err yes dear, just introducing her to Marge, I must say he's pulled a cracker here, even if she is French!"

Mum came from the kitchen wiping her hands on her apron, "hello dear, I take it you must be Gabrielle, the nice young lady he told us he was seeing a lot of over Christmas. He mentioned he was seeing a lot of you, but didn't think you were his girlfriend, what was the reason for this change in your relationship."

"Is simple really. I was working on a project for work trying to adapt something and said that if I managed to do it, my boyfriend would share the credit. I managed to get the adaption to work and said that we were to be congratulated? Dudley said something along the lines of 'I thought you were sharing credit with your boyfriend and then realised what I had said. Really boys can be so stupid sometimes, do you not think."

"Well; while I don't like to hear to hear him called stupid, I appreciate exactly what you mean. I think the word you're looking for is clueless, not stupid, not quite so insulting."

"I will remember that! And you are right clueless is a lot better way of saying it. I have considered Dudley my boyfriend for a while before this, but I did not know if he felt the same way. As you say, clueless!"

"Where did you meet he never gave much detail."

"It was in Spain at first over the summer; I was on holiday with some friends and rescued me one evening from another evening of them trying to fix me up with yet another immature boy. I never realised how immature my friends were before that. Then I started my job at the shop where I am working. He had a problem with his laptop and brought it to us for repair. We started meeting for lunch around that time, and as they say, the rest is history."

"I see, very fortunate for you, I think to find someone you knew previously so quickly after starting a new job; why don't you join me in the kitchen and Dudley, come and make a cup of tea for everyone. I want to learn everything I can about your new girlfriend." I followed Mum and Gabrielle into the kitchen, ostensibly to make the cup of tea, but at the same time wondering about what her comment had meant.

Once we were in the kitchen and I had started to fill the kettle and prepare the tea, Mum turned to Gabrielle, "very nice story dear, and that's precisely what Vernon and Marge needed to hear, but now I need the truth. I could hear the untruths in your tale. You obviously met him is Spain, that much was true, but you knew him before that! You would not accept the assistance of a strange man. You're far too clever to do that. You already knew him, and where exactly are you working? That about the shop where you work didn't sound right either."

Gabrielle looked at me and I nodded and took the cups of tea through to Dad and Aunt Marge. I sat at the dining table, listening hard to the conversation coming from the kitchen. "I first met Dudley at Harry's wedding and had a dance with him. I was the bridesmaid. I saw you, but we did not speak. I did meet him in Spain, but that was coincidence. It was my first holiday without Maman and Papa. The rest of that part is true, it impressed my friends that I managed to get a handsome Englishman to take me to a meal. As for where I am working, that is at the ministry in the technology department. The special needs of the people I work with, is magic." She stopped at this point.

"So does this mean you're a witch or are you a muggle working with the ministry like him?"

"No! I am a witch, I was educated at Beauxbatons; the school is located in France and caters to a lot of European students including some British; that is where I learned English."

"Well I must say I'm pleased for Dudley, you seem a very nice young lady. You should keep up the fiction of the shop, when we're talking later. Marge doesn't know about magic and Vernon is so bloody obstinate in his prejudices. Dudley you can stop listening at the door now and come and get everything to lay the table."

The dinner went without a hitch; Dad was polite throughout, or as polite as he could be. He did make one or two disparaging remarks about Europe and the French, but I have to admit I was impressed with how well he managed to behave. Marge was another story; she couldn't keep her eyes off Gabrielle and even blushed on a few occasions when anyone noticed her looking. I had always assumed that the reason she had never married was that she was a carbon copy of Dad, even down to the moustache, but I think I was getting another side of the story now, not the sort of thing I wanted to discover about my aunt.

After the meal was finished, Mum told me to come and help her wash up, whilst Gabrielle spoke to Dad and Marge. I reluctantly agreed, but was determined to keep an ear out for any sounds of distress from Gabrielle or anger and loss of temper from Dad.

"Dudley is there something you're not telling me about your young lady? I've never seen your father so polite, and Marge is absolutely infatuated with her! What is she doing to make them like her so much, not that I disapprove, but I would like to know the truth behind it!"

"Ok! Mum try not to freak out, I wasn't going to tell you, but you seemed to have noticed something for yourself, Gabrielle is part veela!"

"I thought you said she was French!"

"She is mum, but her mother is half veela, and she is a quarter veela!"

"I'm afraid I still don't understand. I thought she was French, where is this country you are saying she comes from now? I'm curious to know all about her!"

I took a deep breath! "Mum, Gabrielle is only three quarters human; her grandmother was a veela, a kind of nature sprite. She is able to make men fall in love with her, although she hasn't used it on me."

"I think I understand, are you sure she hasn't used any magical powers on you to attract you? I approve of her as a young lady, I just don't want you to get hurt, or used."

"No Mum, I don't think she has used her 'power' on me, she told me about it and that she didn't want to influence anyone that way; it would be dishonest. I thought she was pretty from the first time I met her at the wedding, and my views haven't changed, except that now I think she's beautiful."

"Hmm! I do hope you're right about that, you certainly seem to be more control of yourself that your father or Marge tonight, I just hope it's not a developed immunity. Now you go into lounge and bring your young lady back with you please. I wish to talk to her again." I reluctantly agreed and went to fetch Gabrielle to the kitchen and sat down, to listen to the conversation, there was no way I was missing out on this talk. "Gabrielle, Dudley tells me that you're not completely human and that you have told him that no magical influence has been used on him. I need to know if this is true!"

"I have not tried to influence Dudley in any way except the usual ways that a muggle girl would. I wanted someone who liked me for who I was, not what I was. I have been honest with him from the start. I admit I did project a little allure about me tonight, but no offence he had told me how prejudiced his father was, and I did not wish to take any chances. I have noticed something tonight though over dinner. I have been projecting myself all night and whilst his father, and to my surprise his aunt have reacted to this, Dudley has not. He has acted normally all night. There are some people who are immune to the allure; it is rare, but not unheard of. My sister, Fleur, would project herself wherever she went, only taking notice of those men who did react; that is how she got her husband, he was unaffected. I am thinking that Dudley is unaffected too."

"That can't be true, I remember when I saw your sister in Tinworth, I used to zone out when she was around, I thought she was a beautiful woman, not as beautiful as you are of course."

She blushed, "why thank you Dudley, but that is partial proof, you were not in love with Fleur, so she could still trap you with her allure. I projected my allure all evening and you have not changed in the slightest way to how you treat me. It can only mean you are immune to my allure in much the same way as someone will not notice what perfume one girl is wearing, whilst noticing that of the person next to her."

"It could also mean he's developed a tolerance to it, through long exposure!"

"It does not work that way, my parents have been married for over thirty years and when Maman projects her allure, Papa is still, how do you say, putty in her hands. Someone is either immune or not, there is no build up of immunity. I have never tried to use my allure around my brother-in-law, Bill, but if I were I would he would react like a love struck little boy, that is what normally happens. Although I do admit, the reaction of Dudley's Aunt is not something I expected."

"Yes, well that is one reason I have disapproved of Marge, I used to hate those ruddy dogs she used to drag round with her, nasty dirty little beasts, but that she is not true to herself. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against that sort of lifestyle if that is the way someone is inclined, just don't flaunt it in front of me. But Marge has always been like Vernon in that respect, hates anything 'not normal' and to a certain point Marge hates herself for being the way she is, and shows it in a certain forceful way of character."

I looked at Mum and nodded, I think I understood what she meant. I could remember Dad ranting about bloody poofs on the telly at some point in the past. I don't think the person in question had even been gay, just had certain flamboyancy about them, but that had been enough for him. It was easy to think of his sister as having the same prejudices, they were so alike.

We made our way back into the lounge, Mum bringing a tray of tea in for everyone and spent the next hour chatting with Mum, Dad and Aunt Marge about trivialities, but eventually I decided that it was time that Gabrielle and I had to get home. I had to deliver her 'flat' after all, before driving home myself and we both needed to go to our respective jobs in the morning. We said our goodbyes to everyone and Gabrielle kissed everyone goodnight. Dad and Aunt Marge zoned out again as she kissed them, but Mum wasn't affected at all by the kiss, I found that very reassuring somehow.

As I was preparing to get on the bike, Mum appeared in the front doorway, "could I have a quick word with you Dudley in private, before you go?" She handed me an envelope sealed down and folded a couple of times so it was small enough to fit in my pocket. "Look at it when you get home not now. It's for you to see only. You never told me, where does Gabrielle live, I got the impression it was near, but you never said."

I thought for a moment, how could I tell her without getting caught up with that damn charm on Harry's address. "She lodges with a mutual relative by marriage, I can't say anything else. It's a secret, I'm sure you understand!"

She looked puzzled for a moment and nodded, "go on you'd better be off before that young lady of yours gets suspicious. Give us a quick tinkle on the phone when you get home, so I know you're safe." she gave me a last kiss goodnight and I left the house to join Gabrielle outside.

"What did your mother want?" asked Gabrielle as she climbed on behind me. I told her that I'd informed Mum of where she was living in a roundabout way and that I was to phone home when I got back to let her know I was safe and sound.

We landed in the back garden a short while later and Kreacher was standing at the fence with the 'nonexistent' gate open again, waiting for Gabrielle. "Master Harry wishes to set the wards up for the night so he asked me to bring the young mistress home."

"And check that she hasn't suffered at the hands of my father as well, I bet." Kreacher said nothing, but bowed his head slightly which could possibly have been construed as a nod. I gave Gabrielle a goodnight kiss, conscious of the fact we had an audience and she went through with Kreacher to number 12, the gate not being there after he'd shut it, just plain fence as normal.

I sat myself down in my kitchen with a cup of coffee and unfolded the envelope that Mum had given me as I was leaving. There was writing on the front of the envelope, "this was my mother's, use it when you think the time is right. I opened the envelope to see a small diamond ring. I looked hard at the ring, when had she been able to get that tonight? Was she seeing something to come? I did hope so...

Please review. I'm sure you must be used to those two little words by now, that doesn't mean you can or should ignore them. I hope my little 'revelation' about Aunt Marge didn't upset too many people, but I've suspected that little snippet ever since reading about her in Prisoner. Please continue to read and enjoy.


	25. Chapter 25

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 25: Computer Confusion

The next morning when I arrived at the ministry there was someone waiting for me. Harry was standing by the grate that I normally floo'd into; he usually arrived at another fireplace. I don't understand the reasons why we arrived at different fireplaces, but that was the way it was.

"I spoke to Gabrielle last night when she came home; she told me all about meeting your family. I understand she used her allure on them, and it worked better than she expected, and there was something else she mentioned as well, about you! You're immune to her allure; that was unexpected. She told me it's unusual, but not unheard of; apparently Fleur used to find Bill, he's immune to her allure.

This is all so new to me. The British ministry is so ignorant about veela; apparently the French ministry knows a lot more about them. I owe you an apology about that as well, if you're immune to her allure; you're not under the influence, as muggle authorities say. I've already apologised to her about it, I assumed she used her allure to 'nab' you."

"I don't think it was necessary for her to 'nab' me as you put it. I think I was in love with her from the moment she danced with me at your wedding. I thought she was pretty then and I think she's just gotten more beautiful since then. When we met in Birmingham, I was impressed with her intelligence and sense of humour when I had a meal with her and her parents. I really don't think I had a chance, allure or not. She's beautiful, clever, and funny and likes me as well. If I'd never met her, I think I would eventually have found someone like her or as near to her as I could. I'm just glad I got the ten instead of the one!"

"Ten! One! I'm not sure I follow yo... ok! I think I get it. She's ten out ten for you, alright anyway congratulations on your girlfriend. Just remember, don't hurt her!"

"I'll do my best!"

"Yeah! Well, I suppose I can't ask for more than that." With that he left and headed off in the opposite direction to me and his own office.

I went slowly to my own office, thinking over our conversation and the small item I had received from Mum as I left Privet Drive last night. I was completely and utterly in love with Gabrielle, but I didn't know at this stage, if she felt that way about me. Would she even want to marry me? I know that if she didn't I'd end up a lonely old bachelor for the rest of my days.

The office was deserted when I arrived, which was unusual, normally Hermione and several of the others were there before me. The place looked deserted in much the same way as the Mary Celeste had done, there were half finished cups of coffee on various desks. Everyone must have packed up and gone at the same time, but where?

I noticed several people all moving quickly in one direction, and went out to inquire what was up. "The technology department has got one of those muggle copmuter things working; we're going to see what it can do." I was told by a wizard in his fifties as he rushed by. I had to go see this, I knew about the computer of course, but I wanted to see how it was causing so much fuss in the ministry.

The doorway and corridor to the technology department was crammed with wizards all trying to see what this new fangled gadget could do! I stood at the back of the crowd for a few minutes until someone from behind pushed me forwards and into the back of Kingsley Shacklebolt who was also at the back of the crowd. He turned and saw who it was that had pushed into him; "ah! Mr. Dursley I understand you had something to do with this contraption as well. Can you tell me how she got it to work? I know Arthur Weasley and his team have been working on it for months and know some young intern and a muggle go and solve the problem. No offence meant of course."

"None taken Minister, but I think Gabby should be the one to explain it! Is there anywhere that everyone can be accommodated, this all seems a little crowded?"

"Good point, young man, he waved his wand and a silver lynx shot from the end of it and flew over the heads of the crowd. A few seconds later there came a groan from the front of the crowd and slowly they pushed their way back to allow someone to come out of the department. Gabrielle came, holding her folded laptop under her arm. "Miss Delacour, if you would accompany me to the Wizengamot chambers please!" he raised his voice so he could be heard by everyone present. "We will all now proceed to court number one, where we can all see what has been achieved here today!"

There were hiccoughs (that is the proper spelling of hiccups, trust me) throughout the demonstration. Most of the wizards were impressed by the fact that the latest piece of muggle technology had been harnessed for wizard kind, but a lot failed to see its implications. What was the use of it? It could be used to talk instantaneously over vast distances; the floo allowed that, even if you did get slightly dirty or even one of the new wizard mobile phones. It could show muggle parents of muggleborn wizards a bit about Hogwarts, but that had been done without this new fangled contraption.

It was even pointed out by one 90 year old wizard working in the department of mysteries that nearly all wizards had never learned to type and what was the arcane reason behind that odd 'QWERTY' arrangement of the keys, wouldn't 'ABC' be easier? Gabrielle looked slightly disappointed and I think in my own way I was as well

I decided to ask some questions to our audience, "You say, that you can't type, how then would prefer to enter information?"

"Well preferably the natural way, using a quill!" Gabrielle and I spoke privately for a few seconds and she waved her wand to change our computer back to its original form, there was several gasps from the audience at this revelation. A quill was taken from her bag and added to the apparatus with several mumbled incantations as she waved her wand over the structure.

The apparatus was returned to its laptop configuration and Gabrielle proceeded to write a witty joke about a werewolf, a wizard, and a muggle all entering a pub on the desk using a stylus she removed from the side of the laptop. Of course as there was no ink in the stylus/quill there were no real words on the desk, but they appeared on the screen for everyone to see. Nearly everyone in our audience laughed at the joke.

An explanation was begun of the muggle invention of the internet and the World Wide Web, this being where any document could be stored electronically and read by anyone who wanted to search for it. This again caused a major stir with several older wizards who asked about the dangers of breaching the statute of secrecy with muggles everywhere who typed in something by mistake.

"This problem is already in hand and has been since the Hogwarts website went live for muggleborn parents. Even if an unauthorised muggle manages to type in the correct filename for the website on their laptop or computer, they would get an error saying the page could not be found. Believe me, this is most an almost common problem for them. They even have a special message to tell it to them; a 404 message, address, page not found.

All documents pertaining to magic and the wizard world are or will be stored on a special internet server, like a library, the muggle computers would need a special password, to get this to work, a magical password. Muggles are very familiar with the concept of passwords to enter certain sites, even if they managed to get the words of the password right, they would fail to get access to the document because the magic was missing."

"There's something you may have neglected to take into account young man, all our files are written on parchment or paper, surely we won't have to write them all by hand onto that thing so you can have a copy, that'll take years." Said the old wizard who'd mentioned typing earlier.

"Of course not, nobody would expect anybody to do that, Mr. Perkins isn't it? Department for the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts?" asked Gabrielle smiling at the wizard in question. "Do you have a document in your department that I could never have seen, if so I would ask that you summon it here immediately please?"

Perkins seemed pleased to be recognised and sat in thought for a few seconds then with a muffled "Accio," summoned a document of about 20 pages from his office. "I don't believe you are aware of this one Miss Delacour, it concerns these copmuter thingamajigs."

Gabrielle smiled sweetly at him and I'm swear he blushed, "thank you Mr. Perkins, please observe." She placed the tip of her wand and said, "et hoc documentum exscribere digitize," the document appeared to glow green for a few seconds and then she proceed to read the aforementioned document from the computer.

Muggles use a piece of apparatus called a scanner for this purpose, they would be required to scan every page one by one into the computer, of course you don't expect wizards to do anything so time consuming do you, why I read one report of about 200 pages about the thickness of cauldron bottoms?" There was a nervous laugh from our watching audience and I'm positive the face of Percy Weasley in the front row looked pleased and embarrassed at the same time; indeed he had a smile on his face which was going very red. There is even a way for this document to be sent to the desk of every wizard who needs to see it, if they had their own computer. It could simply be sent to them by what the muggles call email. There only needs to be one copy of the document on parchment if that is the way you prefer to create it in the first place."

Percy Weasley raised his hand, looking a bit sheepish as he did, "excuse me Miss Delacour, but wouldn't that require we know this email address of every wizard in the ministry?"

"Of course not, Percy, and you must call be Gabrielle, we are family are we not? The one thing these computers are capable of doing is remembering stuff. All you need to know is the name of the person to whom you wish to send it, the computer would find the email address, in much the same way as you send an internal memo today. There would just be no paper aeroplanes flying about the place, much easier."

"Most impressive, Miss Delacour, Mr. Dursley," said Kingsley Shacklebolt, "but I have another problem for you. I never write memo's myself; I use a 'Quick Quotes Quill' set to accurately record my words. Much better as everyone who has ever seen my handwriting will attest to." there was some dignified laughter from the audience at this and few comments agreeing with this statement. "Could you manage to incorporate the same function into your computer?"

Gabrielle looked at me for inspiration, "it just needs a microphone, an ear to hear the words I suppose. Do you know if anyone's got one going spare?"

Gabrielle smiled and giggled, "Oui, bien sûr." I loved it when she spoke French she was even more beautiful than normal. She took her mobile phone from her bag and made a phone call, which being next to her I could hear the whole conversation. "George, it's gabby, I'm at the ministry at the moment demonstrating the first wizarding computer, but we've hit a snag, could you bring one of your extendable ears to the Wizengamot, court one? I'll pay for it of course."

"You've got a computer working in the ministry, this I've got to see, I'll floo right over. If this works, you can have the ear for free. Could someone be at the main atrium to escort me to the courts, I've never been there and never hope to be formally?" Gabrielle spoke to the minister and with some sense of humour, he sent Percy up to escort his younger brother to the courtroom.

A few minutes later George and Percy came into the courtroom, "thank you Weatherby," George said to his brother who looked capable of fratricide, (killing a brother), at that point. He looked at our laptop, don't recognise the brand, but how did you get it to work; most complex muggle machinery is just so much junk around magic. I know Dad's spell works for some stuff, but this is too complex." Gabrielle said nothing, just held out her hand for the extendable ear that George was holding in a box. Taking the ear, she removed it and waved her wand over our computer, it turned back into a pile of components again, a few more waves of her wand and the ear was attached and our computer looked like a normal laptop again. "Bloody hell, you made a wizarding laptop from piles of muggle and magical junk, now that I'm impressed with, never thought of trying that myself."

"I am Gabrielle Delacour and I am writing a note to show how this works!" she said and the words appeared on the screen as she spoke. There was much discussion in audience about this and eventually Arthur Weasley asked a question of his own. "I believe I understand what you've achieved here and can appreciate the advantages this copmuter think will have, but how are you just adding things to it and getting them to work? Would it be possible to get it to do something else as well, I don't know de gnome the garden for instance?"

I decided that this was mine to answer after all Gabrielle had been doing all the magical work here and I wanted to explain some things from a muggle point of view. "No, unfortunately not, all the instructions for what the computer can do were put into it at the first activation. Its instructions are the same as same as a muggle one. If you went out to buy a muggle computer, everything we've added here today could be purchased in some way as an extra; in much the same way as safety charms can be put on a broom.

The instructions to recognise speech are already written in, but to be quite frank we never thought of that problem, much the same with the quill to write. It already knows how to recognise handwriting, we just forgot to add the means to write with it, but we've remedied that with all of your assistance." After all, credit where credit was due, we'd probably never thought of the things needed if someone hadn't mentioned them.

Kingsley was nodding at this last comment, "I can see the advantages of this piece of technology, but I do have some concerns, mainly cost, how much is it going to cost to make one of these contraptions for over 500 ministry employees."

Gabrielle spoke to George for a few seconds and activated the calculator function on the computer and did a quick sum. "The cost of the magical items to build each computer is about 24 Galleons, the muggle typewriter about 1 Galleon through a muggle company called E-bay. I don't know how much the mouse cost, but it did cost me my dinner that night as we had to feed Harry's owl my chicken." There was quite a laugh from the assembled audience. This is about £130 in muggle terms, a muggle laptop computer similar to this would be about £1000 to buy from a muggle dealer, or about 200 Galleons if you prefer it that way." Kingsley did look impressed at this.

"Most impressive I must say, but that's still 12,500 Galleons that the ministry has to find from somewhere. I wish we could find a way to help towards that cost, it's a lot to find at one time, and if this is going to work, it must be done en masse. How quickly could you build them once the parts are assembled?"

"We hadn't anticipated us building them minister, the ministry now has its own force of house elves, after being given proper in the procedure, they could do the assembly an enchantments required, it takes a couple of hours in total, but I don't think you should stop at just 500 computers for the ministry." Kingsley raised his eyebrows at this. "You could also sell computers to the magical population at large. If you charged what a muggle laptop might cost, a bit excessive I think, you have to sell just over sixty to pay for all the ones needed by the ministry."

"You have given this a lot of thought haven't you? Is there anything else you think could help towards funding this, I don't mean to seem greedy, and I'm impressed with all you've done here. It's incredible what you've achieved in so short a time. Dudley you've only worked with the ministry for about eighteen months and you've hauled us kicking and screaming into the twentieth century."

I coughed, "err minister, afraid to tell you this, but it's the twenty-first century now!"

"I do know that Mr. Dursley, but I'm afraid we've got a little way to go before we completely catch up with what the muggles have achieved! I'm also very impressed with you Miss Delacour; with the ministry less than six months and you've come to a solution that has baffled our best wizards for nearly two years. You do deserve some recognition for this service."

I looked at Gabrielle and beckoned and whispered something in her ear, she nodded and agreed to my suggestion, we hadn't done this for gain, although we had joked about an Order of Merlin that was just a joke, but as he was offering, we had an idea. It was Gabrielle who spoke, "we didn't do it for recognition minister, but as you've said something, we've both decided what we want to do. Each machine will cost 30 Galleons," I could almost see Kingsley going to object at this point, but Gabrielle continued. "of the five galleons profit, one each will go to the scholarship funds at Hogwarts and Beauxbatons, one will go to the house elves for their work in assembling them, this must be in such a way as they feel free to spend it if they wish, it is not a gift, it is payment for something beyond their normal remit." Kingsley nodded at this, "the other two galleons is to go to St. Mungo's hospital."

Kingsley again looked shocked at this, "if that is what you wish, it can be done that way, but you are getting absolutely nothing from the deal."

"On the contrary minister, we are gaining a great deal from it. The knowledge and satisfaction of a job well done, and something is being done for worthy causes. Besides if Arthur Weasley had and his department had managed to get a muggle computer to work, would they have been paid a commission or a fee when each sale was made?"

"Err! No, I see your point, in other words you are saying you want to be treated as ministry officials in this project and not private entrepreneurs, I can understand that completely and it shall be done as you've requested."

With that he cleared the room and everyone made their way back to their respective offices, listening carefully I did hear a lot of encouraging remarks made to each other as they passed on their way out. What a day between the two of us, my girlfriend and I had managed to change most of the British wizarding ministry in the course of a day. Not bad for our second day as boyfriend and girlfriend, what would we achieve after a week? Ha ha...

Author note: I do not remember whether laptops of the early 2004, which is about when this would be had the technonlgy I've added to the 'copmuter'. I know scanners, were available at this time and the light pen was around at the time I believe, but speech recognition, I don't know whether we've even got that yet; but wizards did, see GOF where Rita Skeeter used a Quick Quotes Quill, albeit in the manner of a bad tabloid to misinterpret the news. The Latin in this chapter reads 'copy this document and digitize,' blame Google translate if it's wrong, not me please.

Please review: I enjoy reading your reviews about my little story and some things help to clear a point up, if I do use anything suggested in a review, I will try to give credit, that is of course if I read the review before I've written the chapter it pertains to. I have lousy internet at home and have to use an internet cafe to post my chapters and read reviews. But everything is appreciated.


	26. Chapter 26

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 26: Petunia Dursley; Hogwarts Student!

It was sometime in mid March when I received an odd letter at the ministry by owl, don't get me wrong, I'm used to owl post these days, receiving both it and muggle post an a regular basis. At least most of the stuff I received via owl post was of some interest, all I ever received in the muggle post was bills and junk mail. What surprised me was that it was delivered to me at work, not at home. I looked at the handwriting on the outside of the envelope to see if I recognised it, but it was unfamiliar:

Mr. Dudley Dursley

Ministry Social Worker

Ministry of Magic.

The wording of the address was odd; usually it was just addressed to me at the ministry, not as a social worker. This was getting interesting.

Dudley,

I hope you do not mind me writing to you at the ministry, but from what I understand of your function there, this concerns your field of expertise and in some way it is your fault as well. Last year when you brought your mother to the shop, she mentioned her wish to go to Hogwarts as a student.

I promised her then that I would do my best to create the appropriate daydream charm for her, trust me I have been doing this to the best of my ability. The normal charms wouldn't work for a muggle, them having no magic to activate it so to speak. I have worked with the healers at St. Mungo's to create the appropriate way to administer such a charm to a muggle.

The healers believe there should be no dangers involved in the administration of the daydream to your mother, but for legal reasons as they have been part of the process in making the potion that will allow this to happen, they would have to monitor your mother throughout her daydream.

I will understand if your mother does not wish to take the risk, but I really do hope she wishes to continue.

George Weasley.

Well that was interesting, I remember what Mum had said in the shop, but I'd forgotten about it until now. I'm pretty sure she would still want to have this daydream, even though she'd actually seen Hogwarts now, at Harry's wedding.

I retrieved my mobile phone from the pocket of my jeans and called home, why was it that whenever I rang she took ages to answer, but if it was one of her friends wanting to gossip, she would pick it up instantly. Just as I was beginning to think she wouldn't answer, she did.

"Dursley residence, Petunia Dursley speaking, how may I help you?" she sounded a little out of breath.

"Mum, it's Dudley, are you alright you seem a bit out breath," she assured me she was fine, just arrived back from shopping and had to run to the phone. "Ok! Do you remember when we went to London and were in the jokeshop, you saw the daydream charms?"

"I can remember going to London, and the joke shop, but not much else, why?"

"You asked about a daydream charm, you said you wanted to go to Hogwarts to learn magic, and George said he would try and make the daydream for you!"

"I remember it now, but it's been so long, I thought he'd forgotten; why are you ringing about it now?"

"He's owled me today, the potion is ready, but, there's a technical problem, the normal charm wouldn't work because you're a muggle so he had to enlist the help of healers. Because of their involvement, their rules mean they have to be present to check any adverse reactions. If you're not interested I can send them an owl to say so!"

"Ooh! No Dudley, don't do that. I would still like to do it; I can see what I missed, what Lily had when she went to Hogwarts. I'm willing to have a healer present if that's what they require. Keep me informed on the progress, I'll be ready."

"Ok! Mum, I'll be back in touch, but I'll use your mobile, so Dad won't hear about it."

"Fine Dudley, I'll await your call, this sounds so much fun." She hung up the phone and I accessed the email account on my wizard computer. I didn't know if George had an email address, but I decided to check. I typed in George Weasley and got two addresses, one work and one home.

From dudley (dot) dursley (at) whiznet (dot) org (dot) uk

To gred (dot) weasleywizardwheeze (at) whiznet (dot) org (dot) uk

Mum still interested. Willing to have healer present. Send reply to me at this address.

Dudley.

I sent the email, hoping I'd get a quick reply, but I had no idea, how often he would check his account, so was quite surprised to get an almost instantaneous reply:

From gred (at) weasleywizardwheeze (at) whiznet (dot) org (dot) uk

To dudley (dot) dursley (at) whiznet (dot) org (dot) uk

Brilliant. Can your mum meet me at St. Mungo's tomorrow at 11? The whole thing should only take a couple of hour's maximum, allowing for the healers to do all their stuff as well.

George.

I thought about this for a few minutes and checked something out first. Mrs. Figg's floo wasn't authorised to connect to the ministry, but a connection was made whilst I was waiting. Temporary access from her floo for 36 hours starting from now. I really would have to find out how they did that, they made it seem so easy. I telephoned Mrs. Figg to make arrangements for Mum to be able to use her floo tomorrow, and telephoned Mum to fill her in on everything. I swear she sounded about twelve, she was that exited. I sent a reply to George informing him that everything would go according to the plans made. This was getting intriguing.

The following morning I was waiting in the lobby of the ministry for Mum to arrive. It was a different fireplace to the one's Harry and I arrived in. What was the significance of the fireplace in the ministry you arrived in? I'd have to satisfy my curiosity another day, however, as with a whoosh of green flames, Mum fell forward out of the fireplace. I caught her as she fell, "Welcome to the ministry of magic Mum, I'm sorry you can't stop, but we're on a tight schedule."

We made our way to the front of the atrium and the visitor's entrance. Mum and I crowded into the phone box located there and I dialled '684453'. Mum looked fascinated as we rode up through the pavement and to another broken down phone box on the street. A ministry car was waiting for us. It knew it was theoretically possible to floo into St. Mungo's but this was discouraged unless it was an emergency and as I couldn't apparate this was the best way available to me. The ministry was interested in the results of this experiment as well; it was highly likely that the potion would be offered to muggle parents to allow them to experience Hogwarts for themselves.

The journey to St. Mungo's only took a few minutes, the ministry ignored all rules of the road getting us there, Mum was fascinated through the journey as we zipped through side streets only just wide enough to take pedestrians, and through traffic that should have taken hours.

After we got out of the car it drove off again, leaving us standing outside the entrance to the run down department store that was the entrance to the hospital.

We made our way to the reception and I flashed my wand to the welcome witch, "Dudley and Petunia Dursley, here to test an experimental charm!"

"She looked at a clipboard on her desk and nodded, "please make your way to the sixth floor and someone will be waiting for you." We thanked her and made our way to the lifts. The last time I had been here, I hadn't noticed a sixth floor button in the lift, but today there were buttons for floors 6 & 7. I wondered when those floors had been added and what happened there. Well we were about to learn about the sixth floor.

The sign read 'Department of Muggle Medicine' but surely that couldn't be right; most magical procedures were way ahead of muggle procedures. Just to the right of the lift was a young witch who came forward to greet us as we stepped onto the floor, "Mrs. Petunia Dursley, and I assume you must be Dudley Dursley as you're obviously not Vernon? If you'd follow me please!" With that cryptic remark she set off down a corridor and we followed, Mum giving me a slightly puzzled look about the Vernon comment, I'll have to admit I was puzzled as well.

At the end of the corridor was a large set of double doors with a sign above it that read 'Vernon Dursley Unit. Muggle Medical Procedures.' Both Mum and I looked at the sign in disbelief; Dad was mentioned here of all places, in a wizarding hospital, how was that possible? "How come this area is named after my husband? I must admit I really didn't expect anything magical to be named after him."

"It's really quite simple Mrs. Dursley, after your husband was treated here and his treatment paid for by your insurance company, it was realised that this area could prove most profitable for the hospital, so a new unit was built for the sole treatment of muggles using magic, of course most of them never realise that magic is being used, but the hospital is gaining quite a reputation in the field of heart surgery. It's now one of the top three hospitals in the country for that type of procedure and I'm sure we could make number one if we manage to take in a greater number of patients."

"Err! How profitable? Not that I'm complaining, after all that's why we have the insurance, but it'd be interesting to know?"

"The entire cost of a course of treatment for heart replacement including hospital room etc for the duration of the procedure is about five to six hundred Galleons, your muggle insurance agents paid out 4000, for your husband's operation, this being the normal muggle cost of the operation he was supposed to have had. Most profitable for the hospital, so the profits from that went into building this unit."

"Most interesting, but I do hope I'm not expected to have anything that major, as far as I'm aware it's just to check out a daydream potion?"

"Don't worry, it's just that this floor is for all procedures involving muggles, so it was here you were directed, she led the way to a small room, with a couple of comfortable chairs and a small coffee table, we took a seat and settled down to wait.

We had hardly sat down however when the face of Ernie MacMillan appeared in the doorway, "Dudley, Mrs. Dursley welcome to the Department of Muggle Medicine. I'll be your healer monitoring you during your daydream. Just routine, I hope you understand. Now if you'll follow me."

"I take it you've been promoted, you were just the trainee healer when you were looking after Dad?"

"Yes, when the new department was instigated, because I'd had experience dealing with your father and making sure he saw no outward size of magic, made me perfect for the job, so they brought my exams forward." He took us to a small treatment room where there was a comfortable armchair, and a sofa, with curtains to partition them off. Another armchair was located off to the side outside the curtained area with a table behind it. Ernie pointed to the chair sitting on its own, "Dudley, if you would take a seat here!"

He motioned Mum to the sofa "Mrs. Dursley, if you'd take a seat on the sofa please, I'll need to do a medi-scan, just to check your health, nothing painful." Mum sat down gingerly on the sofa and Ernie made a couple of passes over her with wand as if he were using a metal detector on a beach. "That's fine Mrs. Weasley, you're perfectly healthy for your age, you'll be glad to hear; I'll leave you for a few minutes while I go to fetch Mr. Weasley and we can administer the potion." He turned to leave, "Dudley if you want something to drink, just ask, I'd advise your mother not to have anything though, just a precaution." He went out and left us on our own.

Mum was sitting nervously on the sofa, her hands clasping and unclasping on her lap. She looked at me nervously, "I can't believe I'm going to experience going to Hogwarts as a student in my own right, even it is just a daydream!" She closed her eyes and sat there in silence after that remark, her hands still fidgeting in her lap.

Ernie came in followed by George Weasley and Mum looked up nervously as they approached her on the sofa, "hello again, Mrs. Weasley, I'm sorry this took me so long to develop, I hope you won't be disappointed. As you're not a witch yourself your daydream charm has been made into potion form, that's why were in the hospital, I had to get the help of the healers, but I'm sure Dudley explained all that to you! If this works as it should you should spend at least the first term at Hogwarts and maybe the whole year, it tends to vary with the charms how long they last, depending on the recipient. Ernie will be monitoring everything, and if you don't mind I'd like to ask you a few questions when you've finished?"

Mum looked at George and smiled and shook her head, "I don't mind answering your questions, about the daydream, I'm sure you'll want to know how it works!" George nodded at her with a smile himself and came to join me, waving his wand to place another armchair on the other side of the table.

Ernie handed Mum a small bottle, that looked as if it help about two swallows of liquid, "if you'd just drink this down; and just in case, I'd recommend you lie on the sofa." Mum nodded and drank the bottle down and lay back on the sofa. Ernie raised his wand in a circular motion and the curtains closed around them.

George looked at me nervously, I smiled nervously back, I was sure that nothing would go wrong here, but all the fuss behind this was making me feel nervous. George ordered two firewhiskeys and handed one to me. "You look like you need it. I know I do. All this extra rigmarole is making me incredibly nervous, there's no reason to be but..." I smiled at this comment, glad that I wasn't only the only one.

I took a sip from the glass in my hand, ahemfff, that stuff was strong, I placed it down on the table and sat nervously watching the curtained off area. George had finished his drink and sat the empty glass down on the table, and sat nervously watching the closed curtains.

The curtains opened and Ernie emerged from behind them, a smile on his face. "Everything's fine, she's just sleeping now, I'll leave you here. She should wake up in a few minutes. George, if you'll come with me for a few minutes, I'll get the paperwork settled for your potion, and you can begin selling it in your shop." George and Ernie left the room, leaving me watching Mum asleep on the sofa.

Mum slowly came round as if from a normal afternoon nap, she might take after a heavy meal. Her eyes sparkling, and a pleased expression on her face, "oh Dudley, I never knew..." she looked so pleased with herself. She motioned me to sit by her and pulled me into a hug, tears of joy in her eyes.

There was a polite cough from the door to the treatment room and we looked up to see George standing there. "I hate to interrupt such a family moment, but if I could ask you a few questions about your daydream Mrs. Dursley."

"It was marvellous, it was great, and all that magical learning, I so wish it could have been real!"

"Can you tell me everything you experienced from start to finish, I know there's probably a lot to tell, but it is important." We both sat and listened while Mum told of her year as a first year student at Hogwarts, being sorted into Hufflepuff, her lessons in charms, history of magic, transfigurations and potions. "I must admit that Professor Slughorn, so reminded me of Vernon, when I first met him, so enthusiastic for new things and fame. Such a fascinating man; really shows me again what a stuffy old fart Vernon's become, he was so enthusiastic when he was younger and we were first married."

George was all smiles when Mum had finished, "thank you very much for that Mrs. Dursley, I'm so glad you enjoyed the experience, and it managed to give you a whole year at Hogwarts. Thank you as well for the idea, I have a feeling this particular daydream will be very profitable for both of us." Mum looked at him in shock! "I mean it, as the originator of the idea; I plan to give you a share of the profit from each and every sale I make. Fair is fair after all, I probably would never have thought of it myself."

"Oh! But, there's really no need! it truly was a remarkable experience," she waved her handbag in the air, Wingardium Leviosa!" the expression on her face turned to intense shock and she dropped her bag; behind us there was a loud crash and the sound of glass smashing.

George and I turned around to see my unfinished glass of firewhiskey on the floor, in pieces and its contents forming a pool. George turned to look at Mum in complete shock!" "What happened Mrs. Dursley? What did you do?"

"The... the... the glass, it flew. Just like in the classroom. How did I do that?"

"Err! I don't know how, but you just worked magic, I think we need help here," he raised his wand and sent red sparks out the door of the treatment room.

It seemed like seconds later that Ernie came running in the treatment room, looked at the shocked expressions on all our faces; "what happened? Is there a problem?"

"Magic, she worked m...magic," George pointed to the glass lying broken on the floor, "she made it fly!"

Ernie looked at the broken glass on the floor, at the shocked expressions on all three of our faces. He nodded to himself and drew his wand waving it over Mum, "hmm! Plain old muggle, no offense." His scan stopped on her handbag, which was giving off a yellow glow. "What have you got in there Mrs. Dursley?"

Mum opened a pocket on the outside of her purse and pulled out the wand given to her by the ministry. "J... just this!" her voice sounding stunned and disbelieving at what had happened.

Ernie waved his wand over the card that Mum had in her hand, "I think this is what enabled you to perform magic! It channelled the intent of your words and actions. You learnt the charm very well. Well enough to make it work in the real world!" he turned to look at George, "you'll need to do some adjustments to the spell on the potion, but otherwise I foresee no real danger here. Mrs. Dursley has been subject to the statute of secrecy ever since she was a girl. I don't think she'll pose a problem now! But I think if I may perform a small charm, Mrs. Dursley, it's a wizard trace. It will alert the ministry if you perform magic. It's normally put on a wizard child at birth. Technically speaking, as you're not a child, we can't enforce you not using magic, but we'll need to monitor it just in case."

Mum swallowed and nodded. Ernie waved his wand at her and there was a slight flash around Mum. She blinked and looked as if she were expecting something more. "That should do it Mrs. Dursley, I wouldn't recommend trying any more magic, we haven't stopped you performing magic, just made it so that when you do, the ministry can monitor the situation whenever you do, and intervene if there's a need..."

George looked fascinated at everything that had occurred here, "I'll have to change the charm on the potion, but that shouldn't affect the daydream that much, just make it so the spells are wrong and won't work, but this is incredible."

Mum just sat there, looking stunned, "does this mean I'm a witch now?"

"Not quite, it's that you've been given a little knowledge, the wand in your bag is the witch part of you. If I gave you a muggle machine gun and told you to watch a film about soldiers it wouldn't make you a soldier. You've just got a, what is the muggle phrase? A little knowledge, and as they say a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. You can't have learned anything dangerous a first year, but it would be best if you didn't use it, just in case."

Mum nodded at this and seemed to relax a little, "ok! I think I understand! It's exciting, but a bit frightening as well. I don't think I'll try and do any more spells. It was nice seeing the school and learning magic, but if I'm really truthful about it, I don't think I could handle being a witch, I'm a bit too old to learn something so new. Could you make it so that I don't remember the spells; I don't want to do something that could be dangerous?"

Ernie nodded and pointed his wand at Mum; she got a vacant expression on her face for a few seconds and looked around as Ernie lowered his wand. "What are you doing here? I thought everything went fine with the potion and the daydream, I've got to say I enjoyed seeing what Lily learnt."

Ernie just smiled at Mum, "nothing wrong Mrs. Dursley, you just had a slight shock when the glass fell of the table; George and Dudley were a little concerned, called me back in to check everything was ok. Just a precaution you understand, everything is fine." He looked at George, who just nodded in understanding. "I'm glad you enjoyed the experience Mrs. Dursley, such a pity we can't turn you into a real witch with this spell, but then again, that's impossible isn't it?"

Mum turned to look at me. "Dudley, this has been a fascinating afternoon, but I think I should get home to your father, so he doesn't get suspicious, don't you think?" she went over to George and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "thank you George, that was incredible, you'll sell lot's of those daydreams I'm sure." George just nodded and followed Mum and I out of the treatment room to the lift.

Down in the ground floor, Mum and I left through the window illusion and George followed us, "take my hand, Mrs. Dursley, Dudley, I'll take you to the ministry." We took his hand and he apparated us to the visitor's entrance to the ministry. "Thank you for the help Mrs. Dursley, but I must be getting back to the shop, I'm sure you understand. Mum and I nodded and he apparated away, we took the lift back to the ministry atrium and Mum took the floo back to Mrs. Figg's, happy in the memories of her daydream. I went back to my office; this had certainly been a busy and unusual day. Whatever next...

Author Note: I do hope you enjoyed this chapter, just a little something I'm sure you may have forgotten about from the visit to Diagon Alley. What did you think of the new unit in the hospital, a bit ironic I thought?

Please review and let me know your thoughts about this chapter. I do enjoy reading them.


	27. Chapter 27

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 27: Meet The Parents.

Gabrielle and I had been seeing an awful lot of each other and our relationship was still wonderful, I really loved her and it was towards the end of March that I decided I wanted to do something more, so I put it to her that maybe it was time for me to meet her parents properly as her boyfriend for the first time. They had met me in Birmingham, seen me at Harry's wedding and they seemed to like me, but we all needed to spend a little time together to really get to know each other properly.

Gabrielle loved the idea and arrangements were made for the two of us to take a holiday in early April when we would both go to Dijon in Burgundy and I would finally meet the family officially as her boyfriend and find out they really thought of me, as their daughter's boyfriend.

So it was that one Saturday morning, the two of us were climbing onto my motorbike in my back garden at Grimmauld Place, unfortunately for her, it fell to Gabrielle to wear my backpack with our luggage. Some of it was packed into the briefcase pannier on the bike, but not enough.

I had some luggage of my own in a pocket of my riding gear that I was hoping to use during our holiday, but there was something else I wished to do first, but I couldn't do it yet...

I checked with Gabrielle that she was ready and took off from the garden, and headed towards Dover, I loved riding my bike with her as my passenger, holding tightly to me. I must admit I didn't plan on breaking any records during our trip, just to prolong the happy feelings I got from being held so closely.

Dover was the same as I remembered from the time I had gone on holiday last year, I did experience a slight panic attack when we were pulling up at the customs and Gabrielle whispered in my ear that she didn't have a passport, she'd used an international portkey to come over in the first place.

"What did you do when you went to Spain with your friends last year? Or came to England?"

"I had a muggle passport, but it expired after my holiday and I didn't bother to renew it, I didn't think I'd bother, it's much easier to use a portkey."

"Well I don't have one either; I just presented my wand, it's got several charms on it and the customs officer, just saw a passport, and thought nothing unusual, can't you do the same?"

"My wand would just look like a stick to the customs, it has no charms on it like yours, and yours is specially made for a muggle to use."

"Ok! Let's stop in the cafe for a coffee and we'll figure out what to do about this." Gabrielle nodded and we parked the bike and made our way to the small cafe on the British side of the barrier. As Gabrielle sat down and took my backpack off, I had a brainwave; Gabrielle could just make a passport of her own, as I did mine. I hunted in my backpack until I found a pamphlet I'd picked up on sights to see in Dijon, I glanced around the cafe and nobody was watching us. "Use your wand! Make this into a passport. It'll be the same as mine, just an illusion passport, but it doesn't really matter as long as the muggle on customs doesn't notice anything wrong." Gabrielle nodded and waved her wand over the brochure and to my eyes it looked just like a French passport should.

We finished our coffee and made our way back to the customs desk and Gabrielle handed over 'new' passport and the officer looked at it closely, "excuse me mademoiselle, but why does your passport not have an entry stamp to the UK?" Gabrielle looked at me in a panic; her wand was in the backpack on her back.

I decided to try something I'd learnt from the same daydream that Mum had tried. I'd bought one by email the same night; she'd had her experience in St. Mungo's, specifically asking George not to make any adjustments to the charm in the one I received. I waved my own 'passport' under the nose of the customs officer. "Confundus."

His eyes glazed for a second and he handed her passport back, "that's fine Miss Delacour, enjoy your holiday," and he stamped the desk, still looking slightly dazed. Gabrielle looked at me, stunned; I put my finger to my lips and shook my head. I drove the bike onto the train and parked it up, and Gabrielle preceded me to the carriage set aside for motorcyclists.

The carriage was empty and she turned round to face me, "you worked magic, how? Where did you learn how to cast spells, and how did you do it, you're a muggle?"

As we sat waiting for the train to depart I told her about the daydream Mum had field tested and I'd brought my own copy of the un-edited version. "I just thought I'd see what had affected Mum so profoundly that day, and well I do work for the ministry of magic. I never tried to do any magic before today though, outside the daydream, but I had no trouble making them work in the daydream. So I tried it today and it worked, the worst that could have happened is it didn't work and you'd have had to get your own wand out."

"I understand that you took play lessons in a daydream, but how did you make it work in the real world? Magic is not just saying the words and making it work, if that was the case, we could teach magic to normal muggles, and that's impossible."

"I didn't perform the spell, my wand did! It acts as some kind of special link between my world and yours. I've seen it look like a passport, a driving license, an ID card, and a police warrant card. It's similar to what the thestral hair in your wizard computer does; my wand has thestral hairs in it too. Then there's also the possibility of squib blood in my family, I might not be 100% pure muggle. The ministry still hasn't managed to find out exactly what the connection is between squibs and muggleborns, or if there is even a connection."

"What else can you do? What did you learn in your daydream?"

"Well, I was ok at charms, couldn't transfigure a teabag into a cup of tea, and in potions I managed to send the potions master to the hospital wing with severe poisoning." Gabrielle sat beside me giggling at the description I was giving of my magical learning. "I didn't think I was that bad, I did manage to stay on my broom in flying lessons, of course I've done that for real."

"Hang on, you've ridden a broom? When?"

"Come off it Gabrielle, we flew here on a specially modified broom, didn't it bother you that my bike flies and I never put any fuel in it?"

"Never really thought about it like that, I thought it was a muggle motor cycle that had been modified to fly, not a broom; that had been modified to look like a motor cycle."

"I insert my wand into the handle every time I use it, the key is just camouflage for muggles, it needs magic to work, that was the first time I consciously used magic was at The Burrow, when it allowed me to fly a broom to play quidditch."

"I wish I'd seen that were you any good?"

"Well I managed to score a goal, and stay on the broom, so I can't have been a complete duffer, my confidence has improved a hell of a lot because of riding my bike!"

Our conversation came to an end as the train finally pulled into the French station at the end of journey. We boarded the bike and I drove out into the chaos of French traffic. It was with some relief that I finally managed to find my way out of the chaos and onto an open road where I could get the bike into the air without being observed by muggles. Of course once in the air, some of the special spells that had been applied to the bike when I acquired it, activated. The bike was invisible, which I was glad of, wouldn't like to cause anyone to have an unnecessary heart attack.

We flew at a leisurely pace, although it was faster than the French authorities legally allowed on the roads, I wasn't too sure of the route we needed to take and neither was Gabrielle, she'd usually gone by floo or apparated to Paris with her parents, so I was more or less following the roads.

We pulled off the main road into a small cafe to have something for lunch, and spent a pleasant couple of hours walking round the village, enjoying each other's company. Then it was back to the bike and the rest of the way to Dijon, to meet Gabrielle's family.

It was in the early evening, that we landed on the outskirts of Dijon and drove the rest of the way as if we were normal muggles. We pulled up in front of a small house in the suburbs of Dijon. The garden was well laid out and neat, a perfectly ordinary looking muggle house. I looked at Gabrielle for confirmation, but she nodded and was already climbing off the bike and removing her helmet. I climbed off myself and removed my own helmet. Gabrielle was standing at the gate to let me in, a little formal I thought, until she took my hand and stepped through the gateway into the front garden. I felt a momentary disorientation as we stepped through the gateway.

Suddenly the scene before me had changed, instead of a small detached house; there was a traditional looking thatched cottage that wouldn't have looked out on place on a picture postcard. Gabrielle walked to front door and tapped silently on the door with her wand and it opened on its own. A voice called out in French, from somewhere at the back of the house and Gabrielle answered, "Yes Maman, it's us, and remember Dudley does not speak French!"

An attractive older woman came from the back and gave me a kiss on the cheek, leaving me feeling disorientated, "welcome to our house Dudley, I am pleased to meet the man my daughter has chosen as her boyfriend properly, please come in and make yourself comfortable. Gabrielle show your young man to the lounge." Gabrielle took my hand and led me into a room off to the side and Madame Delacour went back to the room she had been in when we arrived, only to come straight back out with a tray laid out perfectly for tea.

The tea poured itself into the cups and the cups hovered at a convenient height beside us. Madame Delacour it seemed was quite interested in finding everything out about me. I'm sure Gabrielle must have told her a lot but she was determined to hear it all again from me. We were just finishing our tea when the door opened again and M. Delacour came in, calling out in French; and Gabrielle replied, "Yes Papa, and remember English!"

M. Delacour came into the lounge and I stood up to shake his hand, "pleased to meet you, again monsieur." Madame Delacour rose and asked all to join her in another room, which she named in French. I took Gabrielle's hand and followed her and her parents to what happened to be a large dining room, with a table laid out for four. I was seated opposite from Gabrielle, M. And Mme. Delacour sat in between us.

The meal was delicious and filling and I said so several times to Madame Delacour, and she smiled quite beautifully every time I paid her a compliment. Eventually the meal was over and we made our way back to the lounge. as I was sitting in the lounge I realised something, so far the two rooms of this house I had seen were together bigger in size than the whole house had seemed from the outside, magic!"

We were sitting in the lounge, each with a glass of wine in our hand talking over everything that Gabrielle and I had done together, when I decided the time was right. I stood up and walked over to Gabrielle's parents. "Madame, Monsieur, Puis-je avoir permission d'épouser votre fille." Gabrielle looked at me with shocked pleasure in her eyes and M. and Mme. Delacour looked at each other with a smile in their eyes.

"You may ask her, if she agrees, then you have our blessing!" replied her father.

I reached into the pocket of my trousers and removed my grandmother's ring, and went to kneel in front of Gabrielle. "Gabrielle, will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?" She held out her hand and I placed the ring on her finger, and she pulled me into one of the most intense kisses she had ever given me. When we finally came up for air, I looked at Gabrielle, "I take it your answer is yes then?"

Gabrielle laughed and gave me another kiss, nowhere near as passionate as the last one, "it is! Dudley I will marry you!" M. and Mme. Delacour were beaming widely at the news, and another glass of wine was poured with a toast to myself and Gabrielle. The rest of the evening was spent with me holding Gabrielle's hand, as she sat next to me on the sofa, occasionally giving each other a kiss. I had never felt happier...

Our holiday in France was marvellous, but almost anti-climactic after the excitement of the first day. So far we had not phoned anyone in England to tell them the news; that could wait until we got back from our holiday. We spent our time seeing the sights all over the country, there was even a article about us, sort of, in the French paper, 'Le Monde', reports of a motor cycle that must have been travelling at over 300km an hour, as it had been seen in two different places only a little time apart, it made quite funny reading actually when Gabrielle read it to me; about the incompetence of the gendarme and the so useful cameras that caught speeding motorists, but not this one.

After two weeks we pulled up in Grimmauld Place and I parked up outside number 12. I got off the bike after Gabrielle and followed her to the door to Harry's house, the first of the family in England that we would be telling. I knocked quietly on the door and waited for the door to open, I hoped he would take this news well. When I'd first called Gabrielle my girlfriend he'd almost cursed me, what was his reaction going to be now.

Harry opened the door, a glass of something in his hand, a broad smile on his face. "Dudley, Gabrielle, come in, I've got some news to tell you..." he pulled us both in and thrust drinks into our hands, "Ginny is pregnant, it's going to be a boy, the end of August or early September." Gabrielle gasped and ran forward and gave Harry a kiss and then ran to the sofa, where Ginny was sitting and gave her a big hug, and the pair of them sat there with tears of joy in their eyes.

They were so happy with their news that I didn't think I'd spring our news on them yet, but could wait until another time; I didn't to spoil their moment. Suddenly Ginny gasped and grabbed hold of Gabrielle's hand and stared hard at it, and Harry saw what she was staring at; he turned round and looked at me in surprise. "Err! We're engaged to be married," I smiled slightly and looked at him.

His smile grew so wide, that I was surprised that his face didn't split in two. "You're engaged, congratulations, when did this happen?" he waved his wand and our glasses were all topped up.

"The first day of our holiday, I asked her parents for permission and then I asked her, she said yes."

Gabrielle laughed, "He asked Maman and Papa, in French, for permission to marry me, and then got down on one knee to ask me to make him the happiest man alive and marry him; I kissed him so hard that I think we nearly passed out. He looked at me, so adorably and asked me if that was a yes! I admitted that it was and we kissed again. You're the first in the family we've told, apart from my parents."

"Why, Dudley, you old romantic I didn't know you had it in you!" said Ginny looking at me, a sparkle in her eyes that I'm sure was more to do with her own news than mine. "What about Fleur, have you told her yet?" I shook my head and looked at Gabrielle, smiling at my beautiful fiancé. Ginny looked at Harry, "would you please? We can tell them both sets of news at once." Harry nodded waved his wand and a magnificent silver stag flew from the end of it and sped out the window.

I looked at him, puzzled at his actions, but he just sat there and looked at the fireplace. A few seconds later there was a whoosh of green flames from the fireplace and Bill Weasley stepped through followed by Fleur carrying a sleeping child about four who appeared to sleeping peacefully. "What's the occasion Harry? Why the hurry, I mean what's so urgent that you couldn't send an owl, and why did you want us here?"

Gabrielle was sitting next to me, holding my hand; she lifted our joined hands to show the ring on her finger. Fleur gasped and started talking rapidly to Gabrielle in French, and Gabrielle responded in the same language. Fleur turned to me, "when did zis happen, when did you ask my little sister to marry you?" once again I told the tale of how I had proposed whilst we were on holiday. Fleur looked at us both again, "Gabrielle, you are sure about this?"

Gabrielle and I both nodded at this, and Fleur congratulated us both, giving me a kiss on the cheek and causing me to zone out for a few seconds. Bill came forwards and shook my hand and kissed Gabrielle in the cheek. "Congratulations to the both of you, I do hope you know what you're letting yourself in for Dudley?"

"I think so, beautiful witch, with fire powers, who can make any man fall in love with her, not that she needed that with me, I think I know what I'm letting myself in for, but I don't think I care, I'd love her whatever!"

Bill nodded at this, "ok! I think you understand most of what you're letting in for, but Harry you said in your message that you had two pieces of news to tell us! What's the other piece of news, not as staggering as this was I hope?" He looked hard at Harry!

"not quite as staggering, as Gabrielle's I hope, but just as welcome, Ginny's pregnant with a boy, late august or early September."

Fleur exclaimed in joy and ran and hugged them both, and gave them both a kiss; Harry got a slightly glazed look on his face for a few seconds after the kiss. "I am so happy for the both of you; have you given a thought to any names yet, do you know what you will call him?"

"We haven't given any thought to that yet; the healers only told us today that it was a boy. We'll need time to think about names, I've got a couple of ideas and I'm sure Ginny must have some of her own, but we'll decide in good time."

The rest of the evening was spent pleasantly, as the separate parts of this newly joined family came to terms with the news that brought us all together. Reluctantly I gave Gabrielle a kiss and made my way back to my own house. Tomorrow we would have to drive to Surrey to tell my parents, such joy...

So it was that just after I had spent a quiet dinner with Gabrielle at my house, we were climbing on to my bike in my back garden and preparing to fly to Privet Drive on Little Whinging to tell my parents about our engagement and inform Mum of Harry's news, he had agreed that we should tell her, today and he would call her on Monday from work, but over the weekend, there was the chance that Dad would answer the phone and blow his top if he heard Harry's voice.

So it was that mid afternoon in mid April that Gabrielle and I pulled in to the driveway of 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, to the surprise of Mum and Dad. "Dudley, what are you and Gabrielle doing here unannounced. Not that we don't appreciate the visit, but a little warning would be nice, you know your mother likes to be prepared!"

"I understand Dad, but we needed to speak to you and it's something that should be done properly, in person, not over the phone." Dad looked at me, obviously wondering what was going on, but nevertheless invited us in.

Mum came from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel as she did. "Vernon, did I hear you right that Dudley has come with his girlfriend?"

I glanced at Gabrielle who nodded and said, "I think you heard right and misunderstood Maman, Dudley is here, but he is here with his fiancé, not his girlfriend."

Mum dropped the towel she was holding, something she would never ordinarily do. "Oh! Is what she says true? You are engaged? When did this happen?" I nodded quietly and Mum came and hugged me and Gabrielle, she sat down on the sofa, leaving the towel she had dropped, in a heap on the floor. "Tell me everything; I want to know all about it."

So we all sat as a family, me next to Mum on the sofa, Gabrielle next to me in the armchair, holding my hand and Dad in the other armchair, listening to the tale of his son being a perfect gentleman and asking the permission of her parents for hand in marriage, then kneeling on one knee to ask her if she would make him the happiest man alive and marry him. "She said yes, after nearly suffocating me in the most passionate kiss she's ever given me!" Gabrielle blushed slightly and showed Mum and Dad her finger with my grandmother's ring sitting in her finger.

"You used the ring then I see!"

Gabrielle looked at me, her eyes asking a silent question. "It was my grandmother's ring, Mum gave it to me, when we last visited, that was part of the reason she spoke to me as we left."

Gabrielle nodded, "it is an honour, Maman, to wear the ring of your mother, I take it as a great honour that you would consider me worthy of it!" there were tears in her eyes as she said this.

Mum nodded tears in her own eyes as Gabrielle spoke, giving Gabrielle a kiss on both cheeks, "I liked you the first time, I met you and knew you would be a good match for Dudley, even when I found out about your family background, I knew he could be happy with you!"

Dad looked up at this comment, his face slowly starting to flush and gain a purplish hue, "you mean; she's a ruddy freak like that bloody no good cousin of his? She's used her freakishness to bewitch our son?" he pushed himself up from the chair and moved quickly towards Gabrielle his fist raised.

"Wingardium Leviosa," I moved my arm in a swishing motion and he rose in the air, and floated round the light fitting in the ceiling. "you ungrateful bigot, you will never speak ill of Gabrielle or my cousin again; you owe your misbegotten life to his freakishness, if it wasn't for him you'd have died of that heart attack which your own ignorance caused. Now! Are you willing to apologise to my fiancé or are you going to stay floating round the ceiling forever?"

"What bloody nonsense, I had a heart bypass, a quite normal procedure, I've got the scars to prove it! It was a private hospital; our health insurance paid for it, and then had the cheek to put the bloody premiums up."

"It was a private hospital, the wizard hospital, St. Mungo's; it was the only hospital that had any hope of saving your ungrateful carcass. In spite of everything you'd done to Harry in his childhood, he was willing to help you! He arranged for you to get there, he put Mum up so that she could visit you while you grew a new heart, under wizard care. Your scars are there for one reason only, to protect the wizard world from unnecessary scrutiny. If it hadn't been for magic you'd be dead, and you still think you're better than him. If it had been me you'd had to rely on that night to call an ambulance and take you to a muggle hospital, you'd have died on the way there. Now are you willing to apologise to my fiancé, or do you wish to float round the ceiling forever!"

He swallowed and closed his eyes, "I'm sorry Gabrielle!" I lowered my arm and slowly allowed him to come down to the floor where he collapsed in a heap on the floor, breathing heavily. "How did you do that? You're normal," I looked firmly at him; he swallowed nervously... "I mean, that you're not a wizard! Are you? I mean if you were you'd have got a letter like your fr..., like Harry."

I decided to leave his slip of the tongue, for just that, after all, this was the first time, he'd ever referred to Harry by his proper name unless it was sandwiched between swear words. "No Dad, I'm not a wizard, technically, I've learnt a few tricks, and I'm able to channel those tricks through this!" I opened my shirt to reveal my wand which I was wearing next to my skin. "It's the same as the ones we had in Tinworth, but I've learnt how to use it a little bit better since then."

"I don't understand; that was just some sort of credit card to access a special bank account that had been set up to pay our bills."

"No Dad, it was so much more and I only understood part of it whilst we were in Tinworth, I was able to see things hidden by magic, gain access to magic, in a very subtle way I was allowed to do magic."

"Do magic, what are you talking about? You didn't do any magic then, while we were in hiding? I mean I would have known."

"Dad, you wouldn't know real magic if it saved your life, remember! I was able to catch a special wizard bus and go to the village of Godric's Hollow, the place where Harry's parents died. I learnt things during that year that I would never have learnt otherwise. I learnt that wizards like Harry are just as normal as you or I; that we can get along normally together. There are differences to our societies, but underneath we're basically the same."

Dad, just sat there looking dumbfounded at what I was talking about, "but I really don't understand this, your cousin was dumped on us all those years ago, after some lunatic killed his parents, putting us in bloody danger, and we were expected to bring him up at our expense. Why couldn't some wizard family have looked after him, instead of foisting him on us?"

"How dare you? Harry was given to his family, the people who should have nurtured and cared for him, you could have brought him up as a brother to me! I can understand, Mum's reasons for treating Harry as she did, she believed the wizard world had abandoned and forgotten her sister, and just dumped Harry on us, like a burden, her sister just tossed aside like a broken toy. She had her reasons, you were just ignorant, prejudiced, and you couldn't be bothered to try. He was someone you could bully, pick on.

He needed to be with us, his only family, if he had gone to live with any other family, he wouldn't have seen his second birthday. He was bloody lucky to see it with the way you and Mum treated him, he was practically starved in this house and I was spoiled rotten, in case you haven't noticed, I've managed to undo most of the abuse you did to me. The overeating, the bullying you showed Harry, which made me think it was the way to behave to the other kids in the neighbourhood. Have you never wondered why none of my friends from before that year have ever been to find out anything about me, they weren't my friends because they wanted to be, it was to escape being bullied by me."

"But I don't understand it, Dudley, how is it you of all people can do m... m... magic with that thing, it doesn't m... make sense? Is everybody able to do m... m... magic now?"

"No Dad, not everyone; it's not been fully worked out yet, but I'm sure there is wizard blood in our ancestry, Mom and I. The magical gene obviously surfaced in Aunt Lily, it bypassed Mum, it could have surfaced in me, your son; what would you have done if it had? Ehh! Locked me in the same cupboard under the stairs with my cousin? Why were you so against Harry, you had no reason to hate him or magic?"

Dad just sat there on the floor looking at the carpet, breathing slowly and quietly, "it's frightening, all this bloody stuff. Your aunt killed with a stick and words, it's absolutely bloody terrifying that someone could just do something like that. Us having your cousin here, put us in danger, you in danger, I was, still am terrified it could happen to us!"

"I think I understand, but let me make myself clear in words you should understand, by taking Harry in, we were protecting ourselves as well as him. He protected us as much as we protected him."

"He protected us! What rot! What about a few years ago, when those dementoid things attacked you, if it hadn't been for your cousin, they wouldn't have come anywhere near you. It was his fault they came after you, that you were nearly killed by magic."

"That had nothing to do with it. We were protected against the lunatic who killed Harry's parents and his followers; the dementor attack on Harry and I was the result of some woman in the ministry; she was later imprisoned for that and other offences. I heard of another boy born at the same time as Harry; it could have been him that was targeted that night. His parents were tortured into insanity by Voldemort's followers, trying to find what had happened to him. That could have been us; it was Harry's protection that protected us as well."

Dad just sat there and continued looking at the floor, like some terrified puppy. "It scares me, Dudley, I'm sorry if that makes me a coward in your eyes, but it really does terrify me!"

Gabrielle had silently listened to the conversation between myself and Dad, listening to his confession. "It does not make you a coward, it makes you normal. Everyone is afraid of something, but courage does not come from running away from your fear, it comes from confronting your fear. Did you know that some wizards are still afraid that they will be attacked by ravening muggles with pitchforks if they reveal their magic? You have been afraid of magic, I understand that, but your response should not be to lash out. You must learn from your fear as Dudley has done. Be proud of your son, he has done more for the magical community than some of our greatest historical figures."

"Oh come off it, Dudley could have been somebody in the world, a company director; instead he's a minor nobody working for a part of the government that is a bloody secret from nearly everybody who matters. A social worker, what sort of a job is that for a man?"

"Dudley is so much more; he has managed to change the attitude of one of the magical community's major political enemies, making the possibility of peace with them in the foreseeable future a distinct possibility. He has done a lot to change the status of a race that has served us for generations, and opened up more possibilities for their future. He is responsible for a great many changes to our society, bringing us into line with your society in so many ways. He has a great future ahead of him, mark my words, one day you will be so proud of him." I looked hard at Gabrielle, what was she talking about, surely I was just a minor cog in the wizard government, nothing important, she made me sound so much better than I was?

Mum and Dad were both looking between myself and Gabrielle now, wondering what this all meant, Mum had supported me in my choice of career from the beginning, but I think she saw something more to it now than I ever had or did. "Did you really mean all that about Dudley? I know so little about what he does, but those things you said; they make him seem such a hero, not some minor official!"

"I do not lie about him! He has done a lot to make right wrongs that wizards have done to the goblin race in the past, for the first time in millennia, there is the possibility of peace with them. House elves are enjoying a better lifestyle because of him. It is even possible that in the future we may see peace with the centaurs, of course knowing centaurs that may take time; they need to see it in their prophecies first. We now have access to computers and mobile phones because of your son. Be proud of him, and realise that one day he will be a great man. He is already the man I have chosen, and I am proud of him and love him."

Dad looked up from the floor, for the first time since I had made him fly he didn't have that look of abject fear in his eyes; they held a look of burgeoning pride. Pride in me. "It does make him sound much more than I pictured, he seems such a much better person than I ever pictured him being when he was little. He was never any good at school, when he went to university to study this social work rubbish, I was sure he was taking an easy option; one of these useless courses like a degree in knitting or finger painting you hear about. About as much use as used toilet paper in getting a job. It seems he's made something of himself. I can't let go of the fear I've felt all this time of m... magic, but I'm willing to try and accept it, accept that it has made a man out of you, Dudley!"

"Thanks Dad now comes the hard part, trying to live up to that! Are you going to accept the fact that I'm marrying a witch? That your grandchildren will be magical, and attending some freaky school to learn all that."

He looked hard at me, "I'm going to do my best, can't say what I'll feel later, but for now, I accept the fact you're marrying a w... witch," he swallowed hard as he said this. "I must admit I thought she was an extremely a... attractive young lady when you brought her to visit us, you are extremely lucky to have someone so beautiful who loves you. I will try to come to terms about the magical thing, but please, don't throw me around again! It bloody terrified me!"

"I promise I won't ever do that to you again, unless you threaten me, Gabrielle or someone else I care about again; now I think it's time we all sat down as a family to celebrate; don't you agree Dad?" He nodded meekly and muttered something under his breath and left the room on his hands and knees, occasionally glancing nervously over his shoulder at Gabrielle and I, to make sure we weren't going to try any more magic on him, I'm sure.

Mum got up at this point, saying she must see about doing something for a meal, quickly making her way to the kitchen; picking up the towel she had dropped earlier and absent-mindedly putting it for a wash. Gabrielle followed her quietly and I'm sure there was magic involved in the preparation of that meal, which was exceedingly quick. Everyone was ready to sit and eat by the time Dad came down wearing a fresh pair of trousers and looking as he'd been in the shower whilst upstairs, this was politely ignored by everyone at the table, but I know we all noticed.

The meal passed quietly with Dad doing his best to be polite to myself and Gabrielle, but I could see him twitching nervously nearly every time a gesture was made near him, but all in all, it didn't go as badly as it could have done.

By the end of the evening, Gabrielle and I were both glad to get home, I don't think I've ever been faster on my bike than I did that night and was feeling tired when we landed in my back garden at number 11 Grimmauld Place.

I invited her in for one last drink before she went next door for the night. Giggling, she agreed, and we both sat together on the sofa. That's the last I remember until...

Author note: I admit I'm not really sure where the terminus for the Channel Tunnel is or was at this point in time. I know that today, 2012, you can get a train from London. St. Pancras and get into Paris. If there are any inaccuracies in the travel for this chapter, put it down to ignorance. I do hope you enjoyed this chapter; a bit longer than normal, but trying to get through to Vernon Dursley is like trying to explain a rubber duck to Arthur Weasley, you try... sorry for the cliffhanger, I'll be back with the next chapter as soon as I can.

Please review: all views and opinions are highly valued.


	28. Chapter 28

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 28: Muggle Magic

Early the next morning I was awakened by the loud pounding that my front door was getting, only to find myself lying fully clothed on the sofa, with Gabrielle next to me, fully clothed, just like me. I quickly went to open the door, having some idea, who was making the noise.

I was right; I opened the door to find Harry standing on my doorstep, looking quite angry, "where is she? What did that bloody father of yours do to Gabrielle? How come she didn't come home last night?"

There was a moan from the sofa, "Dudley, what is the time? Where are you?" Gabrielle's head poked up over the back of the sofa, obviously looking for me. "Oh, hello Harry, am I causing you to stay up late again, can't you set the wards?"

Harry looked at her and then at me! "No, Gabby, it's seven o'clock in the morning. You've been out all night I was worried that his father," he pointed at me, "may have put you in hospital, that being why you didn't return home last night. I'd given Kreacher orders to let you in when you got back and reset the wards, but he informed me you hadn't come home. What have you been doing all night?"

She looked at her surroundings, "I thought that should be obvious to you, although it is no business of yours. I slept here last night with my fiancé; and that is all that happened. We had a drink when we came home last night, and the next thing was we were rudely awakened by you! Bear in mind, what I told you, when Dudley first told you he was my boyfriend, it's none of your business."

Harry looked a little sheepish, "I apologise to you Dudley, and I assumed the worst had happened at the hands of your father, my prejudice about him got the better of me. I assume he didn't find out that Gabrielle was a witch?"

Gabrielle burst out laughing at this, "he told his father I was witch, yes, but only after he was floating round the ceiling. It was your mother who first let something slip about what I am, probably by accident and then his father got up in a rage..."

"So you made him fly, wonderful, that was really mature Gabrielle, now he'll hate you and magic!"

"It was not me who made him fly, it was Dudley, he..."

Harry looked at me stunned, "are you trying to tell me that you did magic Dudley? I don't believe it, you're a muggle, that's impossible! You shouldn't know any magic, let alone be able to do any!"

I put my hand on my chest and felt that the wand was still there and looked at Harry, "would you mind putting your wand away, I promise I won't hurt you; but the way you've just attacked me, it makes me nervous." Harry looked at me, and then at Gabrielle who nodded; reluctantly Harry placed his wand in the pocket of his trousers. "Wingardium Leviosa," I moved my arm in the proper gesture that accompanied the words and Harry rose up off the floor of my hall. I brought him down just as quickly. "I can so do magic!"

He just looked at me stunned, "how the hell did you do that? You're a muggle, no magic! It's impossible for you to do that!" There was almost a panic in his eyes.

"I don't think I am a complete muggle, there must be some squib blood in our family past. In Aunt Lily, your mum, the magical ability came through; it stayed dormant in my mum, and me. I'm able to do it because of this wand of mine. It seems to act as a booster to the magic I perform, the same way as it does in the magical laptops we've developed for use in magical society. It could be quite possible that all squibs can do magic with the proper wand!"

"Ok, I'll accept that for a moment, but how did you know the spell? You've never been taught magic and although I'll admit you're cleverer than you seemed when I lived with you and your parent's there's no way you could have learnt to do that on your own.

I looked at my watch, "it's going to take a while to tell you, and I think from your attitude to this, it might be best if it were done at the ministry." I looked at Gabrielle, who nodded to me, excusing herself to go next door and get ready for work. "I've got to get a shower and changed and get myself some breakfast, before work. We have a lot to discuss and it should be done properly."

Harry nodded at this, looking at his own watch, "ok! Reluctantly I'll agree to this, I'll even have Kreacher come and prepare you some breakfast as its partially my fault that you're running late, but this needs to be sorted out immediately we get to work." I nodded agreement to this and made my way upstairs to get myself ready for what was going to be an interesting day at work. Whilst I was dressing I answered Kreacher from downstairs who wanted to know my order for breakfast.

I was enjoying the excellent coffee and porridge that Kreacher had prepared for me, when I heard the front door open and Gabrielle called that it was her from the hallway, and I answered that I was in the kitchen. She came quickly to join me. "I am sorry that I have caused you so much trouble, I did not think he would react so badly to my revelation."

I leaned over and gave her a kiss, "it's not your fault, it would have come out sooner or later, and now I believe is a good time. It will provide a kick in the pants to the ministry. They have been slow in finding out about the connections between muggleborns and squibs; this will give them a little more incentive." I thanked Kreacher for breakfast and piled the dirty crocks in the sink, seeing that he was all prepared to do the washing up for me as well, I assured him it wasn't necessary for him to do that and he could return next door; he thanked with a polite nod of the head and vanished with a loud crack. Gabrielle and I made our way to ministry using my floo, she going ahead of me.

I was met at the ministry by Harry and Kingsley Shacklebolt as I emerged from the floo. "Harry informs me that you were able to do magic! How is this possible?"

I looked hard at the minister, this was not really the way I had envisioned this happening, but I had no reason to lie, "I was taught by Professor's McGonagall, Flitwick, Slughorn and Lupin, in the form of a daydream."

We made our way to the lifts and stepped into an empty one, someone was about to join us, but were stopped by a head shake from the minister who ordered the lift to go to conference room one. All conversation ceased as we shot off, just the usual commotion of trying to stay standing as the lift zoomed to get us to our destination.

The conference room was the same one I had met with Firenze several months before, or another one exactly like it. Hermione was seated at the table, and looked surprised at the people who were arriving for the meeting. "Minister, you informed me that this was about illegal magic use, I don't understand, why are Dudley, Gabrielle and Harry here?"

"That is correct Miss Granger and the correct people are here. Harry informed me that early this morning his cousin performed a levitation spell on him and indeed performed the same spell on his father yesterday according to Miss Delacour. Dudley has informed me, that he was instructed by Hogwarts professors, past and present in a daydream. We are here to find out more. This is unprecedented." He motioned me to take a seat and for Gabrielle to do the same. Harry had already sat himself down, "please Dudley, I want to know everything about your daydream."

I turned to look at Harry. "Harry do you remember when you took Mum and I to Diagon Alley to get fitted for robes for your wedding and we visited George's shop," he nodded vaguely at this. "Well, Mum said she had always wanted to attend Hogwarts and learn magic as her sister had done." I proceeded to tell the whole story of the potion we had tested at St. Mungo's and Mum's accidental use of magic and my subsequent purchase of the unmodified product from George. I told them everything, how I had confunded the customs agent and made my father and Harry fly.

At the end of this tale, there were shocked expressions from the minister, Hermione and Harry, I had already told the story previously to Gabrielle; so she knew it already. The minister had his hands steepled together in front of his face as I told my story and pondered briefly for a few seconds before removing his wand from his robes and sending a silver lynx from the end of it. "I've asked George Weasley to join us here, with a sample of said potion; I think we need to investigate this further!"

We all sat there waiting for George to appear, Gabrielle and I holding hands, the minister with his fingers tapping his lips, Hermione twiddling her thumbs and Harry looking exactly like a police officer conducting an interview. After a few minutes, the door opened and George entered wearing a bright magenta robe that seemed to clash with his bright red hair. "Morning minister. Dudley, Gabrielle, I see congratulations are in order, when did it happen?"

The minister and Hermione looked at George, wondering what his comment meant and then at Gabrielle and I, Gabrielle held up her hand for them both to see her engagement ring, the minister just nodded, but Hermione got a misty look in her eyes. "Ahem! I understand that you gave Mrs. Dursley and Dudley a potion that enabled them to work magic, even though they are muggles. Are you aware that this is in breach of the statute of secrecy and could seriously affect our security?"

Before George could answer, I decided to say my piece. "I thought we were in agreement that the statute of secrecy had not applied to me since Harry got his Hogwarts letter and by definition has not applied to my mother since her sister got her letter when they were children. Your assumption that I am a muggle may also be wrong." Everybody except Gabrielle were looking at me in confusion, she had already heard this theory of mine. "Harry's mother, my aunt was a muggleborn student according to your records, I've said something about this before, but I don't think much has been done to research it yet. You may not be aware of a muggle project that finished some time last year; this was to find out about human DNA and what every gene in it does. They won't finish the final analysis for years yet, but the gene for magic might be there. It is my belief that somewhere in my family past, we had a squib in our family tree.

After all, my aunt was magical, my mother was not, neither am I, I contest the fact that I'm 100% muggle on the basis that I can do magic with appropriate magical aids, my wand." I placed the wand on the table. I pointed to the water jug that was sitting on the conference room table. "Wingardium Leviosa," nothing happened, the jug just sat there, refusing to move. I picked my wand up from the table again and spoke the spell, making the appropriate motion with my arm and the jug slowly rose from the table and lowered itself to follow my movements. "I said at my interview with you in 1998 when I was asking for a wand card like I'd had in Tinworth, that I believed I was a squib, it's entirely plausible."

"Are you implying that every squib could perform magic if they had a wand like yours? That's incredible!"

"Possible, but probably not likely; after all you get wizards with differing degrees of magical ability, some picking up a spell first time, some taking years to master the simplest spells. That would seem to say that one is not just a wizard or a squib or muggle, there may be more than one gene that controls magic, but that needs research."

"You seem to know an awful lot about this subject, where has the knowledge come from, I'm just interested you understand?"

"O level biology, some of it, some of it the television news, I'm not an expert, but I understand a few things. I know it is genetically impossible for two blue eyed parents to have a brown eyed child, the blue eyed gene is recessive, so anyone with blue eyes, does not have any trace of the brown eyed gene in them. It may be similar with the genes for magic, more than one gene governing the magical status of a wizard's magic."

"I think I see your meaning, there are possibly varying levels of squib dependant on whether or not they receive a magical gene from their parents. I must say Dudley that if I had known, when you first came to me all those years ago, the extra work you would generate for me, I would probably have rejected your application for a wand out of hand. But then again, maybe I was right to have heard you; you have been responsible for a great many changes to our society." He sighed deeply. "How would you suggest we go about researching this project? You know more than me about these genes and how they work, what are your suggestions?"

I sat for a few minutes to formulate some ideas about this, I really hadn't thought about this point. "I believe it should come under the healers' mandate. They already know a lot more about the human body than muggles on a large scale, they can do 'miraculous' things according to muggle science. The growth of a new organ, such as my father underwent is one example of this, somehow their potion could be said to making the body do something that involves genes. It makes the body, create a new organ from scratch, something muggle science is incapable of; they may be influencing the body on a genetic level. They need to work on the smaller parts of the body, the genes, learning about what each one does."

"Very well, Dudley, I'll take your advice on that and ask the healers at St. Mungo's to begin looking into this." He now looked at George, "there's the problem of this potion; I understand that it enabled his mother to work magic, what exactly was in the daydream that enabled them to do this?"

"The basic lessons that a first year would learn, I didn't think the daydream would be that intense that the lessons would work, I've since changed the strength of the potion and altered the charm, so that the spells and potions in it are dud. The dreamer could try to get the spells to work in the real world; they might just as well recite the entire statute of secrecy and have more success."

"Hmm! You seem to have realised the potential damage that your product can do and taken precautions to insure it doesn't happen again. What was done about Mrs. Dursley's accidental magic? I assume proper precautions were taken to safeguard the statute and others from unforeseen complications of her casting spells. No disrespect to her, but there could be problems."

"The healer at the hospital put the trace on her, the same as any wizard child might have on them. At her request, the particular knowledge about spells was removed from her memory, just leaving her with the experience. I don't think she'll be doing any more magic, it shocked her quite a bit, me too to be honest, but she's still got the trace on her, just in case."

"I see, it seems every precaution has been taken there to protect everyone concerned, the question remains about Dudley, should he be allowed to retain the knowledge he got from the experience or should we do the same procedure as was done on his mother? I'm really not sure here, as he says he's not been subject to the statute since Harry was eleven. Could the knowledge he gained be considered as a danger to himself or anyone else? Ideas anyone."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other; George just sat there studying his fingers. Would they really remove the knowledge from my memory, I hope they wouldn't. I sat there nervously, wondering what the final decision would be. "I think, personally, that he should keep the knowledge, if he had been the same person that bullied me as a kid, I would say Obliviate the knowledge, but he's a different person. I must admit that I've considered cursing my uncle on more than one occasion. It was mostly the decree for the restriction of underage magic that saved him, in the past, I did silence him at Dudley's graduation and portkey him home. Dudley has shown some restraint in what he's done, if he had been a wizard trained at Hogwarts, we wouldn't be discussing anything."

"I think I agree with Harry, Dudley has worked here at the ministry for two years, it's quite probable he could have seen and picked up other spells, we don't exactly conceal it when we do magic in his presence, he's shown remarkable restraint in his actions here. I've personally never met his uncle in person, but from what I heard from Harry when he was at school, I think that he probably deserves worse. It might be interesting to see what else he could learn to do with proper instruction. If his ideas about squibs are correct, more research is needed into the phenomenon of squib magical ability."

Kingsley sat there in silence, still contemplating his thoughts, his fingers steepled against his lips again, deep in thought. "I think I agree with you both, Dudley has shown restraint in his actions, I think perhaps he should take the first year exams, the same as any first years Hogwarts student, dependant on those, maybe even take on some further study to see what a magic capable squib can learn. He seems to have put a little knowledge to some use." He turned to face me. "What do you think, Dudley, are you prepared to do this? Take some exams and possibly learning more magic.

I didn't need to think about this, I wasn't all that happy about the prospect of more exams, but I had enjoyed learning the little magic I had and would be eager to learn more. I looked at the minister and nodded, "yes please!" Oh blimey, what had I let myself in for now...

Author note: the human genome project finished in 2003, mapping the gene map of DNA, even to this date 2012, there is still much we don't understand. The gene for magic might be found yet...

Please review. Let me know what you think of the story so far. I value all opinions and views.


	29. Chapter 29

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 29: Blood Quills And Exams

After the interview in the ministry, I was feeling quite exhausted, such a grilling I hadn't anticipated so I was relieved when Harry asked Gabrielle and I to join him for lunch, nothing fancy, but just a break in the day. We all ended up at the Leaky Cauldron discussing things over a ploughman's and a butterbeer.

"So what was your Dad's attitude to you having magic, I can imagine it wasn't a good one?"

"Well, I don't think he'll ever be completely happy with magic, but he seemed to accept the facts as I gave them to him. He said his whole attitude to you and the way he treated you was caused by fear, he did look frightened a lot of the evening after he changed his trousers and we were eating tea."

"Changed his trousers! You don't mean?"

"Well I can't be certain for sure, but when I had finally told him a lot of truths about some things, the protection you had given us when you were living with us, and the protection you got, and his 'operation' he left the lounge on his hands and knees, coming down shortly afterward looking freshly showered and in another pair of trousers. He didn't exactly look happy about everything that had transpired that day, but at least he tried to be polite to Gabrielle during the meal, if a little on edge."

"So do you think he'll change in the future?"

"I hope so, but I think he'll always be afraid of magic, I hope his attitude will improve but I don't expect too much. I'm pretty sure he'll still be vocal in his hatred, not wanting admit to fear, but it's a start."

"I suppose so, I'll wait for him to make the first move towards me though; I'm still not fond of him; after all he put me through. Your mother had her reasons, he didn't in my eyes, fear is meant to be conquered, not used as a crutch for abuse."

"I understand he's my Dad and I love him, but I don't actually like him that much, if that makes sense to you. I can forgive him for his abuse of me as a kid, but not for the abuse he gave you, that's up to you and him."

Gabrielle piped in at this point, probably getting fed up with being left out of the conversation, "what do you think of the meeting this morning, how do you think you'll do in your exams?"

"I'll definitely fail potions and transfiguration, should do alright in the others though. Did you have to bring that up, I hate exams?"

"Oh! I dunno Dudley, I'm interested as well, not so much in your exam results, but how you found life as a student at Hogwarts. Tell us some of the other things about your year, what house were you in? How did your lessons go?"

"Ok! I was in Hufflepuff, the sorting hat, said I wasn't particularly brave, intelligent, or sneaky and cunning, but what I did show was incredible loyalty to my family, so that's where I should go. Lessons were interesting for the most part; potions was a bit of a disaster though, I ended up sending Professor Slughorn to the hospital with severe poisoning."

Harry burst into laughter at this, "how did you manage to do that, I thought he was a brilliant teacher, of course I had other help as well that year, but he was very good at his subject?"

"Bit daft really, but I couldn't stop from thinking of the potions as recipes and thinking how bloody disgusting they'd taste with things like beetles eyes and nettles in them." I shuddered. "Uggh!"

"Never thought of potions in quite that way myself, I was always one of the worst in the class because of Snape, the old potions master, he was determined to find fault with whatever I did, even to the point of hovering over me like a ruddy great bat, watching over my shoulder and criticising everything I did. Do go on, this is interesting."

"Well I don't remember much about History of Magic classes, I think I fell asleep during those lessons, that Professor Binns is so boring, in a daydream as well as real life."

"Real life! When have you attended a lesson with him in real life?"

"The video for the muggleborn parents, I helped film it, there was none of his lessons in the finished version, couldn't risk putting the kids off, by seeing such a bore!"

"How's he a bore? I found history of magic a very interesting subject at Beauxbatons; I came to understand a lot about the history of the wizarding and veela communities in my class."

"He's a ghost, speaks in a dull monotone all the time, the only person who managed to stay awake in his classes all the time I was there, was Hermione. Ron and I were always copying her notes. His favourite topic was the goblin rebellions; he made them sound as interesting as watching paint drying. I don't blame you for falling asleep in his lessons Dudley; I'd have been surprised if you hadn't! So you'll fail that subject then?"

"Dunno! I read a great deal about wizard history in that year we were in Tinworth, so I might do ok, depends on the exam of course. Knowing my luck I was reading the wrong bits of history. Flying wasn't too bad; after all, I've done it in real life. Couldn't get the hang of transfiguration, don't really know why, just couldn't get it right. I actually did quite well, in Defence Against the Dark Arts, that professor Lupin was quite a good teacher." Harry gasped at this revelation and looked a little sad to hear something. "What's wrong about my being good at Defence classes, I remember that dementor, want to be able to defend myself in the future?"

"It's not that; you've met Teddy; Professor Remus Lupin was his father. He and his mother died in the war, it just hit me that I'll never see him again; he was the teacher who taught me to cast a Patronus. In a way, you owe your life, or at least your soul, to that man." There were tears in his eyes as he told us this, "I just feel sad that Teddy will never know what a good man his father was, all he will really hear about him is that he was a werewolf who died in the war. Not that that was who he really was of course, he was quite a complicated man in his way."

"You had a werewolf teacher, isn't that dangerous, how did Dumbledore allow such a thing, I understand he was a great man, I did not think he could be so stupid?"

"He wasn't; Remus was one of the gentlest people you could ever meet, but probably the best defence teacher we had during my entire time at Hogwarts. The only time he was dangerous was a full moon, professor Snape used to make him the Wolfsbane potion most times, I would presume George had Slughorn do that in the daydream if he even put that fact in."

"I don't know whether he did, Lupin seemed to do lessons whatever the phase of the moon, it does explain one thing that I noticed though. He had us battle boggarts and mine tried to turn into a dementor, I nearly wet myself at the memory, but professor Lupin leapt in front of me and it changed to a full moon, makes sense knowing his history. He was a very good teacher; I'll say that for him. If his depiction in the daydream was anything like him in real life, he was a good man."

"He was, it was his teaching methods that helped me in the DA, and I followed the example of the way he taught his classes, it seemed to work."

"I heard about you as a teacher, from Neville and Justin, they both said you were good."

"You were a teacher, when? I have not heard that, you finished school and went straight into the Auror's. So when were you a teacher?"

"In my fifth year at school, the ministry had foisted a battleaxe by the name of Delores Umbridge on us, she and the ministry were of the opinion that Dumbledore was trying to take over the ministry and oust Fudge as minister; utter crap. She wasn't teaching us anything so Ron and Hermione asked me to help. I agreed I would give them a little help to pass the O.W.L., but Hermione had bigger ideas, before I knew it I was teaching a hell of a lot of kids. The secret classes were called the Defence Association officially, but unofficially we were Dumbledore's Army because that's what the ministry feared. It was because of a document that said that that Dumbledore was removed from office as headmaster for a time and that obsequious ministry toad became headmistress."

"I remember hearing something about that whilst I was at Beauxbatons, there was something in the Daily Prophet, Madame Maxime used to read it, after the Tri-Wizard tournament, she was most impressed with him as a headmaster. She seemed to be a little better the next morning though, she was wearing an impressive red and gold feather attached to her robes. We heard some time later of course that he had been reinstated and this Umbridge sacked. But I never knew the full story. It was you who got him fired!"

"Not really, the ministry were just looking for an excuse, he was impressive I'll give you that, fought off about half a dozen aurors and managed to apparate out of an apparition proof castle. The feather that your headmistress wore, was probably one from Fawkes; Dumbledore's pet phoenix. One was left behind in the office when he left, some sort of message to members of the Order of the Phoenix!"

"Order of the Phoenix, what is this? I have never heard of it, Order of Merlin, yes, but not Phoenix."

"The Order of the Phoenix was a group of wizards that were set up to fight Voldemort by Dumbledore; they were all present at the Battle of Hogwarts fighting. A lot of them risked everything by being in the organisation, the ministry were dead set against anyone siding with Dumbledore, anyone found to be doing so, faced dismissal and possible imprisonment under sedition charges or some rot, Fudge was paranoid at the end, before he was sacked."

"There was a little in the French papers about that, it was part of the ethics class at the time, the corruptibility of the political elite. He was hiding the truth, was he not to hold himself in power?"

"Not exactly, he just liked being in power and was afraid to see the truth, when he did eventually find out the truth he admitted it, of course there was a public outcry over the fact that he'd denied everything, he was sacked. He was succeeded by Scrimgeour, who was head of the Auror department at the time, bit more of a go-getter, but still a politician; wanted me to be the ministry poster boy."

I looked at him, "I don't understand, poster boy? What are you talking about?"

"He wanted me to keep popping in to the ministry as if I were feeding them information, getting help from them, whatever. I told him I didn't approve of his methods and that I wasn't interested in making him look good, he wasn't too impressed, accused me of being Dumbledore's man, which I admitted to." he rubbed at his right hand with his left as he was speaking. "I told him I didn't approve of his methods." He stopped rubbing at his hand and I noticed there were white lines of scar tissue there.

"Hang on a minute, what's that?" I went to grab his hand, but he hurriedly pulled it out of the way. "What are those scars on your hand, I've never noticed them before? Why were you rubbing them when you talked about this? Does it have something to do with all this?" He sighed and showed me his hand, there were words carved in the back of it, 'I must not tell lies.' "What the hell is that? Who carved words into you like that, it's barbaric?"

"Technically I did! Though not by choice, Umbridge made me write lines, using a blood quill; it's a type of pen that used to be used to make magical contracts binding. Sign on the dotted line in your own blood. They're not actually illegal, just extra-legal; the need for them has been bypassed. A magical contract is binding now because charms are placed on the documents, there's no need to sign in blood. The point is though that they have another effect, if used often enough, they can cause change."

"I don't follow you! What do you mean they can cause change, sound's ominous?"

"It is! The bitch made me write lines until the message 'sunk in.' although I was telling the truth at the time, the physical and magical act of writing those lines means that even to this day and probably for the rest of my life, if I try to tell lies, I get nauseous, cramps and a feeling that I'm doing wrong. If she'd wanted to, she could have made it so that if I told lies, I'd die, the magic in those quills can be that dangerous."

"Bloody hell! And that's the same woman that set the dementors on us, when we were kids. I heard she was sent to Azkaban for that and other crimes? Was your hand one of them?"

"No," he sighed again, "as I said technically what she did was not illegal, it could be that it was simple old fashioned corporal punishment, like the cane, she didn't bind me in any way, just enforced 'the lesson' the lines were meant to convey. If she'd made me write something more binding, it could have been prosecuted, if I'd been willing to testify, but I didn't want the publicity it might cause. I've had enough of that to last me a lifetime thank you very much!"

I nodded, understanding what he meant by that, I'd seen enough bad publicity about him during my year in Tinworth. Harry looked at his watch, "this discussion has taken a depressing turn, and it's time to go back to work." Reluctantly we all made our way back to the ministry for the afternoon's work.

I received news of my examination fate, later that afternoon, beginning the following Monday, I would face daily exams under rigorously enforced conditions. Professor McGonagall would be coming down to the ministry to supervise these exams and make sure there was no cheating. Oh boy! It was understood that I probably wanted time to revise and to brush up on the knowledge I would need, so I was on paid exam leave until next week. Oh joy, my favourite thing not to do, revision.

I used the floo back to my home and went hunting through some of the stuff I'd brought from home and never really looked at, Harry's old school books. I'd brought them from home, mainly as a keepsake, I'd never really tried to read them that much. Although I'd made it up with Harry, these were a reminder of the past that I wasn't proud of, but as I'd never really read a magic book for real in my life; I needed to do it now.

The only good thing about that week was that Gabrielle spent almost every waking moment with me; she'd spoken with the minister and got time off herself to help me revise. She tested me rigorously on the knowledge in the books, theory and practice. I'll definitely need to get myself some new saucepans, when this is over, stewing beetles eyes, is not the type of contamination I want in anything I have to eat after this is all over. Uggh! Don't get me wrong I cleaned up after my potions disasters, but I do have standards, I should have bought myself a cauldron, if I knew I was going to be doing this with my cooking utensils.

By the end of the week, I was as ready as I could be for my exams, but I really wasn't happy to be doing exams again, I could feel my palms sweating and my heart thumping every time I went into that ruddy conference room to take the next exam. Sitting there, each time with the paper in front of brought back memories of that fat stupid boy who struggled at school, the only reason I struggled was because at the time I couldn't bothered at the time. Nearly every time I left the exam I was elated at how I'd done, until I realised I had yet another exam to do later.

All in all though I think I managed to do quite well in most of the exams that I took. The potions in my practical at least didn't send her to the hospital as they had the teacher in my daydream; history of magic, I remembered from my reading in Tinworth, I didn't remember much from the lessons in the daydream. Charms was ok, but transfiguration was a disaster, just like in the daydream I was hopeless; professor McGonagall seemed disappointed by this, of course, it was her subject. I was glad when finally I walked out of the room at the end of the last exam. I wondered what my grades would be, it would be interesting to see...


	30. Chapter 30

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 30: The Requirement of Phones

The day I finished those exams of a first year Hogwarts student was a relief, Gabrielle and I went out for a meal to celebrate, I'd only have the weekend to wait for my results; mine was the only set of papers to be marked. The papers would be marked two ways, the usual way, I would be assessed whether I was qualified to study for my second year, but they would also be graded like a formal examination to show how well exactly I'd done. Such joy...

Gabrielle was spending extended periods of time at my house, now and the night I finished my exams was the second night that she stayed at mine, this time we slept together in the bed, slept and cuddled together. She said that at least now I looked better in my pyjamas, than the pair I'd answered the door in some time before.

Harry was resigned to this I suppose; at least I hadn't got any lectures from him. I don't know if he had spoken with Gabrielle about this, but she knew her own mind and made her own decisions.

On the Monday morning, we floo'd into work as normal and I was looking through some paperwork that had accumulated in the time I'd been distracted, I had nominally been head of my department since I started my job, but head of a department of one. Now things were changing, there were other budding social workers in the wings, I would soon have colleagues working with me, real witches and wizards who had been properly educated at Hogwarts and had gained their own diploma in social work. As I was working through this paperwork, I was disturbed by an owl landing on my desk, a large letter attached to its leg.

I retrieved the letter and the owl flew off, back to the ministry owlery, I sat looking at the letter in my hands, dare I open it? What would it say, would it condemn me to have my memory erased to prevent me doing further magic, or would it mean I would have to study more to progress further? What would be the outcome of these results?

I just sat there, looking at the sealed parchment in front of me, dare I open it. There was a cough from behind me, "well, aren't you going to open it, Mr. Dursley? I'm curious to see how the first ever muggle Hogwarts student has done?" It was Kingsley Shacklebolt, the minister for magic.

I looked up and behind myself and swallowed hard, reluctantly I opened the envelope and pulled the parchment from within and began to read.

Dear Dudley,

Please find enclosed the results of the tests that were administered at the ministry. I am pleased to tell you that you have successfully passed all the exams to allow you to continue on to your second year of magical education. As discussed with the minister we have also graded your exams in the same manner as O.W.L.s in an attempt to gain some profile of how your studies as a wizard stand you.

Potions A.

Transfiguration A.

Defence Against the Dark Arts O.

Charms O.

Herbology E.

History of Magic O.

I hope you find these results useful to you in the future, please consider carefully what you wish to do with them. Best wishes for the future.

M. McGonagall.

Headmistress.

I quickly read the letter, well I had passed them all, but I didn't understand these A's, O's, and E's; what was the meaning there, if it was supposed to make something clearer it didn't help me, I was expecting A's, B's, and C's like a proper exam, A of course being the best, but that certainly didn't seem right after the disappointed look I'd got from Professor McGonagall when I'd done the exam with her.

I looked at the minister standing behind me again and handed him the letter, I guess he'd probably read it over my shoulder anyway, but at least this way he didn't have to admit to that fact, maybe he could explain these odd marks as well? He glanced at the letter, hardly having time to read it, confirming my suspicions, "very well done! I'm actually quite impressed, for a half hour day dream, these are good grades. Three Outstandings, one Exceeds Expectation and two Acceptables. If these had been O.W.L. results, you would have been in good standing for a junior post here at the ministry. I must say I'm quite impressed with the O in History of Magic, how on earth did you manage to get an O there, with Binns teaching, he always sent me to sleep when I was a student, I got a D in my O.W.L. in his subject."

"Well, D can't be that bad can it. in my exams at school A, B, and C were pass grades, D was just below that and then you had E and F for fail." I heard his mention of outstanding and exceeds expectation, but not really understood. "Outstanding, sounded good, but exceeds expectation, sounds a bit like saying, 'not bad for a dumb muggle;' acceptable sounded alright though; at least I'd passed there."

"Hmm; I think I sense some confusion on your part, I'll clarify it for you; there are 3 pass grades, Acceptable being the lowest, then Exceeds Expectation and out Outstanding the best. The fail grades are P Poor; D Dreadful, and T Troll. I think you did very well. I'm hoping you're willing to continue studying, both for your own sake and the sake of finding out exactly how wrong our perceptions as a community are." He looked at me questioningly.

Continue to study, that certainly sounded encouraging, I didn't particularly relish the idea of more tests but continuing to learn appealed to me. As I grew up with Harry, I had been both fascinated and frightened by his magic, now I was being offered the opportunity to learn more. "how would I go about this learning, minister, I can hardly enrol at Hogwarts as a second year student, and I don't think a second years learning by daydream is available; I need to be able to do my job as well."

"I must admit I haven't managed to work that bit out as yet, and in any case I wouldn't want you to leave your department; up to now it really has only been you, interacting with Hermione and myself when you've needed magical assistance. There are cases of students who are not sent to Hogwarts, but schooled at home, I'm not entirely suggesting that as an option for you yet, but you have Harry and Miss Delacour to assist you."

"What about help from the Hogwarts staff in the form of student support and email conferencing. There's a muggle concept called the 'Open University' which operates on television, students 'attend' these video lectures, submit real papers and assignments to tutors, can I expect any help that way from the professors?"

"Tricky, we still haven't managed to get mobile phones to work at Hogwarts, it's still unplottable, and I understand that computers need some sort of connection to work this web thingy. I don't see how it can be done yet. I wish we could find some way to do it, I've had one or two muggle parents complain about not being able to contact their children at the school through their mobile phones."

"Does Hogwarts have a normal phone line installed there yet?"

"No, but why would we want to do that, isn't it a bit like putting a horse to pull a car, obsolete? I thought the whole idea of these mobile phones was to free us from being tied to a specific location to communicate?"

"True minister, but to use your analogy, you might need to use the horse to pull your car to a repair shop if that was needed. If our car won't work at Hogwarts, let's use the horse instead. I don't know if you're aware, but I went to a boarding school when we lived in Surrey? Now while most students had mobile phones that could be carried around the school, their casual use was discouraged and indeed sometimes a teacher would confiscate one from a pupil if it were used during a lesson. But the point I'm making is, there were still normal telephones there, after all, the headmaster or his deputy will always be at the school during term time. You can always phone the school to pass a message on to your son or daughter. Indeed there were phones that we could use to phone our parents, if we needed to."

"That helps me out slightly in that muggle parents could speak to their children, if we could manage to get the phone lines installed, but that still doesn't solve your problem of emailing a Hogwarts professor."

"Maybe not at first, but it's another slight step backwards, but not quite as far as using the horse instead of the car. Before computers used a wireless connection, they needed to be plugged into the telephone wires, indeed there are still some parts of the country where this is necessary, some remote parts of Wales, Scotland, that are deep in valleys and a wireless connection can't be made. If phone lines were installed at Hogwarts, it would be possible to use this method to email the school."

"Good grief that sound's terrible, not the idea, that's not too bad, but can you imagine having a team of complete muggles going through Hogwarts, upsetting classes, seeing magic in action. It'd be a nightmare; we'd be all over the muggle news. The statute of secrecy might as well be binned."

"I don't see why, the phone lines wouldn't need to be installed everywhere, just the main teachers offices, maybe the common rooms, to allow a parent to call the appropriate house, there shouldn't be much magic going on in there, not if the work was being done during the day, and as for the slight bit of magic that can be seen around the corridors, a slight charm on their perception could help there, so that they see magic as some slightly obscure bit of muggle technology. After all, Hogwarts is an exclusive boarding school, shouldn't they expect to see children in the corridors or a hi-tech video surveillance system, for the pupils protection of course. Isn't that what all those moving pictures are?"

"Hmm if we could install a few phone lines into each common room instead of just the one, it might enable the students to communicate by email with home, and allow some access to outside sources of knowledge for N.E.W.T. level students. How come that sorting hat didn't put you in Slytherin, Dudley, you certainly are showing a sneaky and cunning side to your nature?"

"Not sneaky minister, logical. I've seen what muggle science can do, you haven't, no disrespect, but you haven't. Are you aware that wherever you walk in the city of London, you are being watched by at least two cameras and probably more? Most of the time nothing is noted about most of these images, because nothing is happening, but if something is happening, a drunken brawl, a street fight, then more cameras in the area will be turned onto the incident to get more detail for a potential court case, but my point is, most of the time, muggles won't notice a wizard do anything, because most of the time there's nothing illegal in what he does. If someone is in one image and not the next, then maybe there was a camera fault, or it's the camera has switched to another similar looking street. Of course, if a wizard were to walk down the street waving his wand and killing everyone on sight, they might notice that and think he was carrying a gun."

"Hmm! I understand about these guns, some sort of non magical wand that muggles use to kill each other! I believe Fudge talked about the late Sirius Black being armed with one, when he told your muggle Prime Minister about his escape. No match for a shield spell, I should imagine"

"You may be surprised minister, when was the last time your wizards looked at modern firearms, they've got some surprisingly good ones these days."

"Hmm! I remember something, from a report by Arthur Weasley, a few years ago, whilst you were still at school and Sirius Black was in hiding. There didn't seem to be that much threat. Some guns capable of throwing a small handful of lead, not that much of a threat, and some about the size of a wand, capable of throwing a lump of lead some distance at high power; as I said a good shield spell, can cope."

"I think, I see, do you know the calibre of the gun used, the bigger guns, throw bigger bullets at higher velocities, it might be worth checking into again, there are some guns capable of firing bullets through armour plating, I don't know how strong your shield spells are, but I'm sure some of the bigger guns or grenade launchers could give your shield spells a run for their money."

"I understand what you are trying to say, but I don't see how we can do anything about it, the more powerful weapons probably are in the hands of the muggle military, we can't get our hands on them without exposing ourselves to unwanted scrutiny."

"I know you have some sort of contact with the muggle Prime Minister, I remember seeing you in the background during some television broadcasts, and you've mentioned that they were told about Sirius Black's escape by Fudge. Why don't you use your influence and ask them, they needn't hear the full truth, just that you're looking into improving the level of protection that you offer to the prime minister, I'm assuming you are still protecting him?"

"Not so openly, but we do keep an eye, on things, we don't want another incident like that junior minister of theirs being put under an imperious curse. I suppose it's an option worth looking into. I begin to think again, that I made a mistake in giving that wand a few years ago, you do seem to do nothing but cause me more work."

"Sorry!"

"No! No! I don't exactly mean that, you're certainly helping the wizard community interact in a better way with the muggle world, I just never realised how much they could teach us. Or I suppose, in what ways we could help them. the extensions to St. Mungo's brought about trough your father's treatment there are one case in point; St. Mungo's has always given free treatment to any witch or wizard that needed it, for a long time this was funded by the government through taxation, since that time with your father, the hospital has required less and less funding and is now almost self supporting."

"So have my taxes been lowered on the wage I earn then?" I asked jokingly, to be honest I hadn't even been aware that I paid taxes on my wage, never really looking at my payslips, bit naive on my part, I suppose.

"Err! No, but at least they haven't gone up with all the extra expense you've caused us." He stood there thinking for a moment. "Do you have any ideas what this telephone wiring will involve? I don't want all that much disruption to the school's running if we can help it; and the structure of the castle can't be altered that much, in some respects, Hogwarts has a consciousness."

"Are you saying the castle is alive, I find that hard to believe?"

"Not alive exactly, but there is a certain consciousness in the castle, a bit like those computers of yours, things happen for a reason. You're aware, I'm sure of the way that the staircases in the castle move? Well, that's not entirely random. The castle is aware of the needs of its occupants, and tries to assist them to get where they're going, so a staircase might change where it's going to enable them to get there faster; of course, most people don't realise this and go out of their way to get back on the route they're accustomed to, blaming the moving staircases if they're late, where it's usually their own fault."

"I think I follow you, the castle will make a shortcut for you to take, but most people will stubbornly follow the old known route!"

"Exactly, there is an even more interesting example of this! There is a room in the castle that can change to whatever the user requires. Harry used it in his fifth year as a classroom to train his group called Dumbledore's Army, in the seventh year it manifested itself as a dormitory for those pupils who were hiding from the staff; it even managed to create a hitherto unknown passageway out of the school, when it was needed!"

I sat there digesting this new piece of information for a while, all the time under the scrutiny of the minister who was still standing by my desk. "In what ways can this room affect the castle as a whole, and how are you aware of this, I've never heard Harry or Hermione talk about the castle in that particular way?"

"Partly through experience when I was a student at the school myself, and through looking at the original plans for the school which are now stored in the ministry archives. It was originally designed as some sort of command centre for the founders if the school was ever besieged by a group of rampaging muggles. The stairways I came to understand one day when I was hopelessly lost in my second year and the staircase I was on, moved to allow me to leave at a familiar location and I was able to get where I wanted to go. I tested it out a few times afterwards, and every time, the stairways helped me, it's all part of the same spell as the room of requirement, the castle gets things to where they are needed in a hurry."

"How much can this consciousness affect the school as a whole? Could it help us with updating the technology there?"

"If you mean, making the building plottable, I don't think so! That's a different spell altogether," I shook my head as he said this, that wasn't what I meant. "I see, so what exactly do you mean?"

"In order for us to get phone lines in the school, we'll need to run cables from outside the building in; in a muggle house this means drilling holes in the walls and threading the wires through from the outside. I was wondering if the castle itself could open these holes in the walls and seal up around the cable afterward, leaving the cable intact of course?"

"I begin to see your point, make the castle itself assist in the installation. It's theoretically possible. I know for a fact that the room of requirement survived the battle; I made a point of checking myself after the Battle of Hogwarts. All the aspects of it I was aware of were in working order, the only difference being that the room of hidden things, one of its aspects was empty and burnt, but that didn't seem to affect its other configurations that I was aware of. The only problem is that I have no idea how we would go about getting it done. I have no idea how to communicate that sort of idea to the castle as a whole through the room."

There was a knock on my office door at this point and before I could say come in, Harry's head poked in from the corridor, noticing the minister he quickly began to back out, "sorry, wasn't aware you were busy, I'll come back later."

"No! Indeed Mr. Potter, you may be of some assistance to us!" The minister then explained the subject of our conversation that morning and whether Harry knew of how to communicate with the room of requirement, to help us in our problem."

"Not really minister, I think the best person to talk to in that respect may be a former classmate of mine. Neville Longbottom seemed to understand that room far better than anyone and seemed to be able to interact with it far more subtly than I ever did. Of course, he practically lived in it for most of his seventh year!"

"Interesting, I remember hearing a little about Mr. Longbottom from the headmistress after the battle, he was responsible for the killing of Voldemort's snake wasn't he? Not a terribly bright boy, but certainly came into his own in the last couple of years of schooling. Any idea why that may have come to pass?"

"A little, minister; his parents were tortured by the Lestrange's and Barty Crouch Jr. In our fifth year, they escaped from Azkaban. I think the thought of vengeance or retribution may have had a hand."

"Possibly, possibly, do you have any idea where Mr. Longbottom may be located now; we may wish to talk to him about the room of requirement?"

Harry looked at his watch, "this time of day, he's usually to be found in the greenhouses at Hogwarts; he's taken post-graduate training in herbology, his best subject at school. I've heard, although this is only a rumour that Professor Sprout has recommended him as her replacement. She plans to retire in a few years, her husband was one of the casualties of the battle and I believe she plans to go abroad to spend time with her remaining family."

The minister pondered for a few minutes and got on his knees, next to the unlit fireplace in my office, "this certainly makes me appreciate those phones of yours, Dudley, not so hard on the knees." He threw a handful of floo powder into the fireplace, "headmistress' office, Hogwarts School." Nothing happened; the powder just fell into the fireplace. He struggled to his feet, "damn, she must be out of her office and have the safety on." He removed his wand from his robes and prepared to cast a spell of some sort.

"Excuse me minister, why don't I apparate with Dudley to Hogwarts and we can talk to Neville in person, actually in the room of requirement, it may save some time and we can check some things out whilst we're there?"

"Excellent idea; and you can ask your cousin about his results as well, I know you're dying to, but have had the decency not to interrupt our conversation by asking. Let me know how your meeting with Mr. Longbottom goes won't you!" he walked quickly out of the office nodding in farewell to us both.

Harry looked at me and burst into laughter, "damn the man, he's too perceptive. Still I suppose that's what makes him such a good minister for magic. Come on Dudley; let's take a trip to Hogwarts, if we're lucky we can even get lunch there too." I quickly folded up my results letter, placed it in a pocket and grabbed his hand and braced myself. I hated apparition...

We arrived outside the main gates to the school and Harry sent his Patronus up the driveway to the school and turned to face me. "They haven't lowered the level of protection since the war, so this is as far as we go without being let in. Now how did you do in your exams? I want to know everything!" removing the letter from my pocket, I handed it to him. After reading for a few seconds he handed the letter back to me. "I'm impressed, you managed to get three 'O' grades, that's better than I did in my own O.W.L.s, of course I was taking more subjects by then, but it's still impressive. I only got an 'O' in Defence. It's the 'O' in history of magic that really impresses me, the only other person I think who did that was Hermione."

Our conversation was interrupted by the appearance of somebody walking towards us down the driveway, slowly the familiar figure of Professor McGonagall came into view, she waved her wand when she was a few feet from the gates which slowly began to open, she beckoned us in, with another swish of her wand the gates began to close again behind us. "I must say, Harry this is a pleasant surprise and Dudley too, I do hope we haven't got a mature student starting here? Don't get me wrong Dudley, I was impressed with your exam results, but I don't think the school is prepared to take on a 23 year old student, the dorm facilities, you understand?"

"Not precisely professor, Kingsley told me that some witches and wizards are home schooled and wondered whether this might be an option for me, I asked about advice and private instruction via email from the Hogwarts teachers, and it transpires that Hogwarts has no phone connection with the outside world, we want to try and remedy that. I'm told that Neville Longbottom is studying here and Harry believes he may be able to help us."

"Neville, I don't see how? He's a nice young man don't get me wrong, but I don't think he's that technically minded, from what I've come to understand, I don't even think he has a phone at home. How can he help you?"

I decided to answer before Harry could, I'd had a more detailed discussion with the minister about all this, "it's to do with the command centre of the school, more commonly known as the room of requirement, Harry seems to be of the opinion that Neville is the best person to ask about it, having practically lived in it at the end of his seventh year."

"I believe he did, but what's this about the command centre?"

"Kingsley has studied the original plans for the school which are stored at the ministry, the room of requirement was some sort of command centre where they could go and defend the school from a hoard of rampaging muggles; the staircases move for a similar reason, they change in order to facilitate rapid deployment of troops and supplies, where needed, or in an ordinary everyday sense, give you a shortcut to where you're going."

We walked in through the entrance doors to see students going into the great hall for the midday meal. "oh, I hadn't realised it was that time, why don't you both join us at the staff table, and you can speak with Neville over lunch, if he remembers to join us, sometimes he's so caught up in his work that he neglects to do so?"

Harry grinned at me, "we'd be delighted, I mentioned to Dudley that we might be in time for lunch and it seems I was right, it certainly brings back memories being here. I haven't been back since we finished rebuilding after the war." He turned to face me, "I started in the Auror department straight from school; I was awarded honorary N.E.W.T.s along with Ron and Hermione for our work in dealing with Voldemort." He turned back to professor McGonagall, "I never asked; who did you get to teach the Defence class after the war? Was the curse of a single year lifted?"

"Oh yes! We've had the same teacher since the war, five years now! He wouldn't have been my first choice during that last year, but a lot of what you said in the Daily Prophet helped when he made his application. I was surprised he did, but I must say, he's a good teacher, a lot better than Binns in some respects."

"Am I to understand that you've got another ghost teaching at the school? I thought the example of professor Binns would put you off?"

"Well I never knew Binns when he was alive, but Dumbledore assured me he was just as boring when he was alive, but this ghost was never boring as a teacher, a bit alarming at times, and for a while he was considered anathema, but I must say I'm beginning to appreciate his company again. I used to enjoy our discussions when he taught here before."

"Well come on, please, put me out of my misery, who is it?"

"Severus Snape! I hadn't managed to get round to getting a tutor after the war and on the 31st of August I was in the office considering whether to ask the minister for help, when his ghost appeared and asked if he could help with the teaching of the subject. I'd heard your story of how he was an unsung hero, so I agreed that he could have the post until a more suitable replacement could be found or there were too many complaints, but to my surprise, there've been no complaints from any parents about who is teaching and I haven't been tempted to look for another teacher since, he really is quite good at teaching that subject."

"I see! Why hasn't he made himself known to me on the few occasions that I've been here? He's got nothing to hide from me anymore, and certainly shouldn't think I bear him any ill will"

"I honestly don't know; even when he was teaching here before as a mortal man, he was very reluctant to discuss his private life, and since he's begun teaching here as a ghost that hasn't changed. It could be that he doesn't want to speak to you or still feels there may be some resentment on one or both of your parts. You'll need to ask him yourself to find out."

"Maybe I will, but not today, at least I won't go out of my way to speak to him, if the opportunity presents itself, I'll speak with him, but he obviously hasn't felt then need to speak with me before. Today, we're here to speak with Neville!"

"Hmm! I may like to listen in on that conversation if neither of you mind; your mention of this command room for the school has intrigued me and makes me think that I need to learn more about this room."

"I have no objections, and you may need to be there if what we are hoping can be achieved is possible, I don't know whether Neville will have an objections to your being there!"

We took seats at the staff table, Neville was already seated at the one end and Harry and I joined him. He was pleased to see us both and intrigued to hear more about the room he'd spent so long in, that terrible year. "The room was able to do quite a lot; it never seemed to be in the same place twice in a row, whenever we came out of it. We couldn't get it to produce food, so when the need arose, it manifested the passage out to Aberforth's pub. That came as a surprise, one of the portraits on the wall suddenly opened to reveal a hidden corridor. The room seemed to help in any way it could. It wanted to help. Although I never particularly asked for something, the room seemed to anticipate our needs, almost anxious to help, if that makes sense."

"From what we've learnt in the past couple of hours, it make sense, it seems the room was originally designed as a command centre for the founders in the event of the school being attacked. It seems that it can interact with the whole castle; something you discovered in its ability to manifest itself anywhere in the castle; the moving stairways are also part of the same spell, opening up short cuts for persons moving about the castle on legitimate business."

"Sounds fascinating, what do you need the room for? What do you want to do that it can assist you with?"

"We want to find out if the castle can help with the installation of phone lines to enable a muggleborns parents to speak with them at school and possibly allow internet access to the school. If the room can be made to understand the benefits this can bring to the school, it may be able to make this possible!"

"Sounds fascinating, but how does the unplottabilty of the castle affect all this, and then there's the anti-muggle charms on it?"

"I don't anticipate any problems, my house at Grimmauld Place is unplottable; and protected by the Fidelius charm, I've still managed to get a phone line installed, and the anti-muggle charms aren't much more than complex illusions in this case. If there had been the usual type of charms on the castle, it would have made an invading muggle hoard, disorientated and feel they should be somewhere else, such things can be overcome if there is sufficient cause. But if the place just looks like an abandoned ruin, the ravening hoard will usually just turn away. All it should take is a charm on the fitters, so they can see through the illusion."

"I know you've managed to put some sort of enchantment on phones so they work in a magical environment, do you think the same charm will work here? It's the most magical site in wizarding Britain. There may be more interference than normal!"

"I'm hoping the castle will be able to work with us there as well, when we explain the need! This is all for the benefit the faculty and students after all! How exactly did you manage to get the room to be so helpful to you? When I saw it during the war, there were bathrooms, sleeping quarters, really most impressive."

"Well, the thing is, I really don't know! When I first hid myself in there, I wanted something that the Carrows' couldn't find and would allow me to be safe. There was a basic room, with a hammock to sleep in, a garderobe, and some cushions to sit on, nothing fancy, it really was quite boring, I'd managed to go in with my textbooks, but I couldn't read all day. I'd been in there a couple of days when I was starting to feel particularly hungry and thought that I'd have to try and find some way to obtain food, when one of the paintings on the wall of to the side of the room opened to reveal the passage to Aberforth's pub; I don't know who was more surprised me or him when the passageway opened the other end. He was a great help, sending in more and more supplies as the number of refugees increased.

Then there was the problem of washing came up, the few people who'd managed to find the room the same way as me, wanting to hide from the Carrow's felt the facilities weren't up to much, but agreed that nothing could be done; it wasn't till the next morning that we noticed the garderobe now manifested itself as a doorway; on checking through this doorway  
>en-masse, we found separate boys and girls bathroom and shower facilities. We never actually saw anything change, it would happen whilst we weren't looking or whilst we were asleep. It did seem that the larger the project that needed doing, the longer it took to manifest, and things also slowed down, the more people it accommodated."<p>

"Ok! That sounds like conservation of energy, there was only so much energy available to the room to accomplish its purpose, if it had to do more, it took more energy, so took longer."

Harry, Neville and professor McGonagall were staring at me as if I were speaking a foreign language; "excuse me, Dudley, but what exactly do you mean by that statement? It sounds like gobbledegook to me?" stated the headmistress.

I thought for a few minutes, trying to find a way to support my statement; "ok! If I wish to heat water for a cup of tea, it takes less time and energy than if I want to heat enough water to take a bath. The room only has a limited amount of energy available to it, to do all it needs to do, so when so much energy is put into being undetectable, large and comfortable enough for several students, it can't do something new without taking more time to do it." They were all nodding at this so I assumed they understood my meaning.

"The other problem seems to be conscious and unconscious desires, the room wouldn't actually respond to an outright request but it could understand the need for something, like your desire to eat, it couldn't produce food, so it manifested a tunnel to where you could obtain it. It probably didn't understand your conversation about the facilities available, but I'm sure after your conversation that night you were all dreaming of a proper bathroom and it picked that up from your subconscious mind. So manifested what you required overnight."

Harry nodded at this comment, "I remember in the days of Dumbledore's Army thinking that I could do with a whistle to get everyone's attention; I didn't actually say outright I wanted one, but I suddenly noticed one on the shelves. That sounds quite logical, but how are we going to convey such a complex idea as laying cables through the castle and shielding them magically against magic itself, and the purpose of the cables?"

"That sounds like a meditational trance is needed, with the idea plainly in focus as the mantra, whilst you are in the trance." Again I got a look from them that I was spouting nonsense. "Do you not teach meditation as an aid to learning or combating stress, then I suppose this particular task will fall to me, it's something I studied alongside my diploma in social work. I can put myself in a trance and lower my heart rate to almost nothing and maintain that state for up to half an hour."

Harry nodded as if he understood what I was talking about, but both of the other two looked mystified, "it's an eastern muggle discipline something akin to putting yourself into a healing trance, I understand it can be quite difficult to master; what surprises me is that Dudley can do it, or why he learnt it?"

"I studied Parapsychology and Metaphysics, those being the closest muggle equivalents I could think of to magic, reading minds, spoon bending, influencing dice; never managed to bend a spoon or read someone's mind, but I did manage to get the hang of meditation. Proved to be a help in my other studies as well, I was able to recall information better, it's almost like I can consciously access my own subconscious."

They were all nodding now in understanding of what I had said, whether they fully understood or not, I don't know, but, they seemed to comprehend my meaning. "So what exactly do you propose Dudley?" asked Neville.

"Well I need to go into the room and put myself into a trance and think about everything we need the castle to do, I don't know the specifics of the spell used to shield muggle electronics against magical interference, but I think I can express it as a concept. I only hope, that I can convey that to the castle as an entity. I think I'll need to be alone in the room as well. It needs to be me on my own as only I'm completely aware of what I'm trying to communicate."

Whilst we had been having our conversation lunch had finished and the students had all left to go to their afternoon lessons and the four of us were all alone at the staff table. The tables just sat there, all the plates and dishes just sat there, not being cleared. I looked around at the clutter of an untidy great hall, "why aren't the house elves clearing up, I know that they enjoy their work, I would have assumed they would be here tidying up?"

Professor McGonagall looked at me and said, "it has always been the way that the Hogwarts house elves will not show themselves, when there is anybody to see them; there have been exceptions to this rule, the late Dobby was known to go and visit Harry when he was here, and he asked that they be visibly allowed to help at his wedding. As a rule they stay in the shadows. They will wait till we vacate the dining room or until their master, proprietarily me, as the headmistress gives them to come and clean up. If you are not bothered by their presence whilst we talk, I can call them to begin clearing up?"

I held up my hand to silence her for a moment, "excuse me, headmistress, that gives me an idea, do I have your permission to try? Nothing dangerous I assure you!" She looked at me as if I was a naughty schoolboy just trying to explain why he had broken the rules. I'm sure glad I wasn't; I'd seen similar expressions on the faces of my own teachers at Smeltings. She nodded and her expression changed to that of the teacher who was trying to comfort a pupil in distress, a much more comforting person.

I thanked her and slowly tried to concentrate on what I wanted to say, putting myself into a meditative trance to do it. 'The headmistress gives her permission for the house elves to begin clearing, whilst we are still in the great hall.' I have no idea how long I was meditating for, but not long I'm sure until there was a gasp from my three companions, I brought myself back to normal consciousness. The Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables had already been cleared and as we watched the plates were moving to one end of the tables, only to stack themselves in the hands of waiting elves. Others were rapidly wiping the tables and making everything spick and span.

"What did you do Dudley, it should be only me who can give them permission to do that, and how did you tell them to do it anyway? You never said a thing?" The expression on professor McGonagall's face was pure amazement, priceless in fact.

"I told Hogwarts that the headmistress gave permission for the house elves to tidy up whilst we were still here, exactly what you were going to do. I assume the castle passed the message on to house elves."

"Are you saying the castle understood you, even though you're not in this control room? I find that fascinating, especially as you're a muggle."

"Please headmistress, I've already proved I'm not a complete muggle or a complete squib. We already know the castle can interpret the wishes of those in it enough to alter the configuration of the stairways so the castle will provide help when needed. I'm pretty sure the castle heard our conversation and then followed the instruction that I relayed on your behalf. If you'd refused outright to allow the house elves work whilst we were here, then no matter what I said whilst in my trance they would have waited until we left."

"Fascinating and quite true in its way. Do you think you could express something more from here, like this telephone stuff? Or do you still maintain you need this control room. You've certainly impressed me here!"

"I really think the control room would be better for that, after all; all I did here was pass on a message from you to the house elves, really interacting between only two rooms of the castle. What needs doing to install the phone lines will affect the whole castle. I definitely need to be in the location where I can speak to the castle at its strongest. Where is this control room from here? Nobody's actually said!"

At this point, Neville joined the conversation again; "the first time we used it, in the fifth year, it was on the seventh floor behind the tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy; and that's where I went to go and hide the first time, but on talking to other students who joined me that year, it can manifest anywhere. They all mentioned wanting to find somewhere to hide where they couldn't be found, but could continue to fight. They usually noticed a doorway that they didn't recognise and went in there; we all invariably ended up in the same place."

"Interesting, and gives me another idea I'd like to try, could you all close your eyes and concentrate on the fact that I need to go to the Hogwarts control room to speak on a matter vital to the future of the school." They all looked at me as if I had gone mad, "please, I know what I'm doing, I honestly think from what we've heard today, the castle would not have wanted the founders to run up to the seventh floor in the case of siege. The room will manifest nearby and inform us of the fact." They looked at me for a few seconds and slowly each of them nodded and closed their eyes. I did the same and concentrated on the same thought I had told them all to concentrate on. Would this be successful? I think it will be...

A bit of a cliff-hanger here; sorry but this chapter was getting longer than I anticipated. The next chapter 'Red Alert in Hogwarts' will be up as quickly as possible, I don't anticipate a long wait.

Authors Note: In case anyone is unaware, and I'm not suggesting anything if you're not, a garderobe was a niche set near the outer walls of a castle, with a narrow passageway to the outside. Inside this curtained off alcove the occupant would sit and ahem take care of business. Over time the waste left behind would fall into the moat. It's why moats would occasionally need dredging, all the excellent, ahem, fertiliser it got. The interior rooms of the castle would have a pot under the bed which servants would empty down the garderobe later. As seen Hogwarts now has modern plumbing and as Neville said, it was all a bit basic when he first hid.

Please review and let me know what you think, I appreciate all views. Thank you to everybody who has put me on author or story alert, I value this immensely.


	31. Chapter 31

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 31: Red Alert in Hogwarts

Professor McGonagall, Harry, Neville and I were all sitting at the head table of the great hall in Hogwarts, trying to communicate to the castle that we needed the command centre for the school. We had been not been concentrating on this for long when there was a sound not unlike a small hand bell that an injured person might ring to summon help from behind us. As a group we turned around to find a new door in the wall behind us standing ajar, invitingly. "Blimey Dudley, what have you gone and done now?" asked harry looking at me in fascination and almost awe. "Do you think it's safe for you to go in on your own?"

I looked at him, "why should you think that, you did think what I asked, didn't you? That I needed to get into the command centre to talk about something vital to the future of the school?" They all nodded to me, slightly in awe at what had been achieved here today. "Good; then wish me luck, I don't think I'll be in danger if it has actually manifested to allow me entry. Wish me luck!" I quickly stood and walked towards the newly manifested door; opened fully as I approached and showed what looked like a small alcove that lead into a larger room. I walked hastily forward through the door and heard it close behind me; I looked to see a plain wall, with no visible doorway present, magic!

I quickly made my way into the larger room. There was a large table with four ornately carved wooden chairs, one to each side. Each of the walls had a large painting going from one end of the wall to the next. As I looked at these paintings; I realised they gave a complete view of the whole outside grounds. I recognised was the front gate and the pathway up from it, but I could see that was the small part of one picture; I quickly allowed my eyes to flow round the whole room to see the lake, the quidditch pitch, the greenhouses. Out near the forbidden forest I could see something moving and wondered what or who it was. Immediately the picture showing this zoomed in on the individual in question and I saw Hagrid coming from the forest, with his crossbow slung over his shoulder and heading back towards his cabin. Nothing out of the ordinary, there then! As soon as this thought had crossed my mind, the picture zoomed back out again to show the whole panoramic view of the outside of the castle again. This was quite impressive.

I looked at the table and wondered how I was going to go about what I had in mind, was I supposed to stand there like a supplicant at a leaders table or what. The chair to my right seemed to twinkle slightly and as I moved closer to it, the twinkle got stronger, until it seemed as if someone had a spotlight on it. Great, I was going to be interrogated here by a sentient building.

I took a close look at the chair; the seat was covered in yellow material, embroidered with the badger of Helga Hufflepuff. The back of the chair showed the Hogwarts crest, with the school motto, "DRACO DORMIENS NUNQUAM TITILLANDUS" engraved below it. I placed my hand on the arm of the chair and the light shifted to the seat; gulp, I was supposed to sit in Helga Hufflepuff's chair. Oh well, nothing ventured, nothing gained, I warily sat down in the chair and placed my hands in my lap.

I felt a vague sense of curiosity manifesting in my mind like I was being asked a question, but no words were spoken. For a few seconds, I was a little puzzled, where was this feeling off curiosity coming from? It certainly wasn't my own, at the moment, all I was feeling was awe and a slight sense of panic at sitting here. The sense of curiosity lessened and I saw a picture of the castle flash into my mind and then the curiosity returned. Bloody hell, the castle was talking to me!

I sat there thinking quietly about the telephones that I believed should be installed in the school, the benefit to the students and staff, the disruption that this would cause during installation, and the potential help I would like Hogwarts itself to provide if possible.

As time passed, I could feel the sense of curiosity changing slightly, and had a vision in my mind of the castle being knocked and battered about as a hoard of muggle descended on the castle, each attacking with a phone. Every room of the castle had its own faceless muggle attacking it with a phone and miles of cable all round the castle, students and staff struggling to defend the castle, but hindered by the fact that they were blocked at every turn by cables.

I thought for a few minutes on how to convey what I envisioned for the phone lines, how to say what I wanted. Then I pictured several figures in their own office, wearing the type of old fashioned robes I'd seen teachers wearing in television programs, I pictured 4 separate rooms, one each with a house symbol superimposed in it, and phones in each of the locations, and then a few phones in the main entrance hall, for everyone's use.

The image of phone lines trailing all over the floor of the castle, flashed in my mind again, but this time it was like a map to the various locations I'd pictured; people tripping over the cables.

I pictured the cables hidden in the floors and walls of the castle, some climbing the outside walls and going through the walls. I wanted to show the minimal amount of disruption, this would be to the day to day running of the castle.

I got another image in my mind, the cables running through the floors and walls of the castle, the phone signals running through the wires. I was shown another image, lightning flashing through the phone lines and faceless people using all the phones at once; slowly the lightning seemed to build up and there was an explosion, badly damaging the castle. I saw the point; the electrical interference could damage the castle.

I pictured Arthur Weasley in my mind and him putting a shield on my mobile phone allowing it to work in a magical environment. The phone in my pocket began to get hot, and I pulled it hastily from my pocket, but by this time it was cooling down again. I got another image in my mind; the same cables throughout the castle, all with a shield over them, the shield had the image of Arthur Weasley on it. Slowly the lighting built up as before, then as before there was an explosion, only this time, it was much greater, the school was just a smoking crater, and the nearby village of Hogsmeade was in flames. This was bad, I'm sure the castle knew what it was talking about. Its images were too clear, too well informed to be mere conjecture; Hogwarts was so aware of itself.

Damn! I was so full of hope that this could have been done, but it seemed insurmountable; I sat there thinking of everything I knew about phones; mobiles, copper phone cables, fibre optic cables. There was a new image in my mind; the phone lines replaced by lines of glass, filled with light; people talking on a phone at the end of the light; there was no explosion, instead it almost seemed as if the castle was surrounded by shields made of light, each with a phone on the front of it. Muggles approached the castle, but it was still invisible to them, in fact the protection seemed to be growing stronger. I felt an immense sense of happiness, that I'm positive wasn't my own.

The image changed to show the fibre optic cables being laid by magic, the signal changing to electrical at the last second and some faceless muggles just wiring in the final connections, again accompanied by feelings of happiness. I nodded; this looked like a good idea to me. I got the idea that I should sit and wait, so I sat and waited. As I was waiting, I found myself thinking about the day dream I had experienced and the lessons I had learned in it, I would hopefully be able to learn more with the new links that Hogwarts was getting with the outside world.

Suddenly I found myself waking up as if from a doze, with a slight headache between my eyes, it felt like I'd been reading for hours. I was so tired. I saw an image of myself writing with a quill on the back of a frog or some other type of amphibian; accompanied by a feeling of gratitude. The images on the walls vanished and the only thing besides the table and its four chairs visible was the exit. I rose from the chair and left the room, thanking it for its help as I did. I went through the door to find myself going through the main doors into the great hall.

The room was full, pupils and teachers all seated at the tables. I could see from the badges on robes that normal house segregation was not being enforced. There was a gasp form the head table and Harry and professor McGonagall were running towards me; "bloody hell Dudley what have you been doing, it's been absolute chaos out here?"

"Wish me luck!" said Dudley as he rose and made his way to the doorway that had appeared behind the staff table. He walked through the doorway and the door vanished behind him.

Professor McGonagall looked at Neville and I, "that young man is positively scary, he's discovered more about this castle in a couple of hours than I have in nearly fifty years of teaching. Nothing to do now, but wait," she looked at her watch. "I think, tea is in order, don't you?" she flicked her wand and a tray with a teapot and three cups appeared on the table in front of us. The pot poured tea into each of the cups and milk and sugar poured itself as required and the cups rose to sit in front of each of us.

Professor McGonagall looked at me over the rim of her tea cup, "any ideas as to names for the new arrival, I understand its due in a couple of months?"

"I've got a couple of ideas, and Ginny has some of her own, we'll sort details out later." Our conversation was stopped by the sound of a large bell tolling loudly, it certainly wasn't a bell I'd heard whilst I was at school and from the look on the face of the others, they hadn't either. The main doors opened and professor Flitwick entered followed by his students, the doors closed behind them.

Professor Sprout came in, followed by her pupils; still with her gardening gloves, which normally never left the greenhouse, and again the doors closed behind them. "What on earth is going on? I've never heard such a noise, and then we're all ejected out of greenhouse two, only to end up in the great hall. One by one, every teacher in the school with their class following behind them.

The second year Defence class came in following the ghostly white figure of their teacher, who looked to the head table for an explanation, "ah! I see Mr. Potter, not just a thorn in my side during your own years here as a student, you return to terrorise my afterlife as well! What are you up to now?" funny thing was, he was smiling as he said this, almost like he was joking.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you can't blame me this time professor, at least not entirely, it's all the fault of my cousin, Dudley; he's in the castle command centre, trying to convince the castle to allow telephones to be installed for the benefit of muggleborns and possible internet connection!"

"I see, so your Aunt and cousin; can't possibly be entire muggles, they must be Alpha squibs like you mother!"

"What the hell do you mean? You know how squibs can work magic? You should give anything you know to St. Mungo's; they're looking into the genetics of muggles, squibs and wizards. Trying to find what makes a child of wizards a squib or wizard. Anything you know would help immensely!"

"Hmm! I don't know what use my little hobby through the years will do, but St. Mungo's is welcome to it, if it will help." He looked sad for a moment almost if he would cry. Could ghosts cry? Damned if I knew! "In a way, it was a memorial to your mother, Lily." He looked at me again. "After the Dark Lord killed your mother, I began to wonder how she could have got into Hogwarts. What was it that made a, pardon the expression, a mudblood, where did the magical ability come from? Albus agreed to give me his protection, and at the same time I agreed to spy on the Dark Lord for him, to give him information in payment for the protection, he was giving me, and he gave me a teaching position; one of the things I had been ordered to do as an excuse to spy on the headmaster. Over the years, I did medi-scans of all students in my classes with special attention to muggleborns. I wanted to know what gave a muggle magic. If I got the chance I would scan their families as well, if I was the teacher responsible for delivering their Hogwarts letter, when they were first told about magic."

"This is fascinating; did you come to any type of conclusion?"

"That's just it, I'm not entirely sure. I did notice that if one child was a wizard, then it tended to be that children born after them were wizards too, even if their wizard core felt weaker, the amount of magic available to the individual. Even the parents, sometimes seemed to show a magical core to them, but mostly too weak to accomplish the simplest spell. Inevitably all the muggleborns that I saw, had at least one parent who showed a magical core, but most of them had two. It's like two weak halves making a whole."

The conversation was interrupted by the sound of the bell tolling again and suddenly the hall gained another hundred or so occupants as the house elves all appeared there. The house elves looked around them in amazement, and then looked around amongst themselves. After a couple of minutes, one house elf left the quivering crowd and slowly, almost reluctantly walked up to the head table, looking behind itself, at its compatriots as it did,; they just seemed to egg it on. The house elf arrived at the head table and bowed to professor McGonagall, "excuses us, if we is out of order, headmistress, but why did the castle send us here. We is preparing tea for students and then Hogwarts puts us all in great hall with students. Last time this happen we were encourage leave kitchens and help students fight Voldymort. Only then after told by student that castle being invaded and we should flee if we not wish to fight. Hogwarts house elf is proud to serve Hogwarts in any way she ask?"

Neville gave a start at this, "are you saying that the castle is female?"

The house elf looked at him, "of course Master Longbottom, Hogwarts is female, she is all knowing about everything that is going on within her walls. Male is not aware, of everything going on within walls."

Professor McGonagall smiled at this, "of course, you are saying the castle is like a mother to everyone within her walls. A mother always knows what is going on in her house, and is ready to protect her children!"

"Partly headmistress, but mother also know what room used and for what, when need to be clean by house elf. House elf happy to clean room after use. Sometime only Hogwarts know which room used, not even teacher know!" There was a slight start of conversation amongst some of the students, mostly sixth and seventh years. As professor McGonagall looked around to see who was talking, several students could be seen to hang their heads, trying to hide their faces." I could feel myself blushing and trying not to look her in the eye, remembering a few kisses exchanged with Ginny during my sixth year and Neville was looking hard at the table, trying unsuccessfully to hide his blush.

Professor McGonagall giggled out loud and Neville and I looked at her, she was blushing herself. "I do hope she shows the discretion of a mother as well!" and then she giggled harder than ever. There was a gasp and a reluctant laugh from some of the other teachers present.

The loud tolling of the bell we had heard twice before interrupted the conversation and the whole hall seemed to shake as if there had been an earthquake, all the house elves were cowering at the far end of the hall, with their head in their hands. What the hell was going on here? What was my cousin doing to Hogwarts? Everyone was talking amongst themselves, wondering what was going on, the noise from the student tables was louder than at one of the large feasts held during the school year, and it certainly didn't sound as happy.

Everyone was getting more and more agitated as time went on. There was mutters of 'Dark Magic', and 'Under Attack'. The sense of growing fear in the room was almost overwhelming. People were starting to panic. The room shook again and suddenly there was the sound of bells in the air again, but not an ominous toll of a huge bell, but bells ringing out in a celebration. The house elves jumped up; looked at each other smiling and en-masse vanished with a crack. The one house elf at the head table looked at professor McGonagall and bowed, "excusing house elves headmistress, but we has work to be doing, preparing for the feast." He vanished with a loud crack!

The main doors to the great hall came in and Dudley strolled through them, as casually as if he might walk into a muggle shop.

Professor McGonagall gave a gasp and got up to run towards the doors, I followed, quickly overtaking her. "Bloody hell Dudley what have you been doing, it's been absolute chaos out here?"

I looked into the eyes of Harry and professor McGonagall, "exactly what I said I was going to do. Explain to the castle about the necessity of phone lines in the castle. Why? What's been going on here? It looks like you're all in a panic."

"In a panic! Young man, that doesn't begin to describe it. The castle has summarily cancelled all classes and magically sent all pupils and staff to the great hall from all over the castle, without having to travel the distance in between, we've had the house elves evicted from the kitchen, only to arrive here, cowering in fear. We've had earthquakes and a peal of bells. It's been a most extraordinary afternoon!"

"Afternoon, surely not!" I glanced at my watch; it's only been about ¾ of an hour, an hour at most!"

Professor McGonagall looked at her own watch, "Mr. Dursley, you have been in that room for nearly five and a half hours. If installing these phone lines is going to cause as much disruption as you have caused today, then I'm afraid I'll have to tell Kingsley that I refuse to have them in the building. We; that is nearly everybody here thought the castle was under attack by dark magic. I was seriously thinking of abandoning the school!"

I swallowed hard, and looked ashamedly at her face, trying to avoid looking her directly in the eye. "I didn't realise a few things about the command room. When I went in there, it thought the school was in danger, so I would assume brought all students and faculty to the one location for safety. The bells and earth tremors were possibly outside manifestations of what was happening in the 'conversation' between Hogwarts and myself. At one point the castle pointed out to me the potential danger of so many shielded phone wires running through the building, not good. Eventually we found the solution between us; a solution the castle assured me would allow phone lines and phones in the school and actually boost the security of the castle itself."

"If installing these phone lines is going to be as disruptive as your conversation about them, I'm afraid; I definitely won't be allowing them to be put in! A simple conversation lasting a few hours and you cause panic throughout the school. That happening for days or possible even days is out of the question!"

"It's not going to be a problem headmistress, it's all taken care of!" she gave me a look of contempt, I'm sure she was coming up with some more arguments against it. "Of course," I snapped my fingers. "You don't understand, follow me headmistress!"

She looked around the great hall at the students; they were just sitting there, not moving. Indeed it seemed as if they had just stopped whatever they were doing like a paused movie. She raised her wand and gave it a wave, and their seemed to be a silver haze over everybody else in the great hall, which vanished as quickly as it had appeared. "How? What? You seem to have cast a time stop spell on the entire student body and faculty; do you mind explain how you've done that Mr. Dursley? If you are Dudley Dursley, which I'm beginning to doubt; that is a very advanced spell, high level N.E.W.T. charm. Most students can't master it!"

I looked at her for a few seconds, "of course, that's what the final images from the castle meant!" I clicked my fingers again and the students and staff began to chat amongst themselves as before. "Follow me to the entrance hall professor and we can discuss a few things in private, whilst you see what I meant about it all being taken care of. I quickly walked out into the entrance hall and pointed to either side of the main doors. On either side of the main doors into the castle was a small hood of what looked like stained glass with the Hogwarts crest on it, in each was a telephone fixed to the wall, with a bare wire hanging from the wall beside it. "All the phones, lines and connection points are installed; we just need a team of telephone engineers to make the final connection. There is a phone in the office of every teacher, one each in the staff room, headmistress's office, and four in each common room; they all require that last few connections. I'm sure you must understand, trying to do that would be as dangerous as a first year trying to apparate, they could splinch themselves. If we wired these phone lines up wrongly, they just wouldn't work, but no reason to take any chances."

She nodded and looked at me hard, "very well, I will take your word on what you've just said; it makes sense! But what does not make sense is how a student, who has only just taken his first year exams, can suddenly do a N.E.W.T. level spell, with no training from any teacher. It's impossible so who are you? You can't be Dudley Dursley!"

I sighed and looked her in the eyes, "you may want to cast a Veritas spell on me to ensure I'm telling the truth; I will be, but that will confirm it for you!" she nodded and waved her wand over me, I could see a faint green mist surrounding me! "I am Dudley Vernon Dursley, only son of Vernon and Petunia Dursley, born on 23 June 1980; I am cousin to Harry James Potter, born 31 July 1980. I learnt my first year magic from a daydream charm made by George Weasley. I was taught some more magic, by a teacher with over 1000 years of experience, in gratitude for helping her!"

"You're telling the truth, young man, that much is obvious, but at the same time, it's also impossible, the oldest a witch or wizard has ever lived was 210, and that was a rare case. Nobody has been alive as long as you said! Who taught you?"

"You're misinterpreting what I said, I said I was taught by a teacher with over 1000 years of experience; at no point did I imply my teacher was a witch, or wizard. Hogwarts, herself taught me, in exchange for the job we've done together. Although it wasn't said, I think the castle is bored. She may use the internet to explore the muggle world for herself!"

"The implications of what we learnt throughout the course of this day are staggering Mr. Dursley, you have found out more and revealed more about this castle than I have ever heard. Please do tell me more of what you experienced in that room!"

I related the tale of my meeting in the room, Hufflepuff's chair, the feeling of curiosity I got and the 'conversation' of feelings and images that had followed. "The castle is far more aware of what is happening around and inside itself than anybody is aware of."

"How do you mean?"

"The main configuration of the room when I entered it was a bit like a muggle control room with wizard paintings showing the grounds of the castle. There was someone in the forest; I wondered who it was; didn't even voice anything aloud. The picture zoomed in to show me Hagrid; as soon as I saw who it was, I relaxed slightly and the image returned to normal. Hogwarts was actively aware of everything going on at all times. Every thought I had whilst I was in that room was understood and analysed. The implications of quite complex spells were analysed and the consequences of their use portrayed to me quickly and in a very clear manner."

"Certainly sounds as if various aspects could be useful to a headmistress, but I have no idea how it could be used without the implications of this afternoon; the entire building being turned upside down."

"What do you mean? In what way could it be useful to you as headmistress?"

"Something, one of the house elves mentioned whilst you were in the room, about Hogwarts always knowing about some room needing cleaning after use and informing the house elves. It seems the castle is aware of everything going on within the walls!" I nodded to her, to agree with the point. "Well one of the duties that has to be undertaken by the teachers and caretaker is patrolling the corridors at night to make sure no students are violating curfew. We tend to do this on a rota basis; it's not the most popular duty. Often the evening is the only time when we have a chance to relax, chat with each other."

"You would like the castle to do this task for you, and inform you when there is a problem?"

"It would be pleasant not to have to traipse around the castle at night, I'm sure a lot may go on and the teachers are not aware of it, because we're on the wrong floor or something." From somewhere behind us, there was a small hand bell being rung, and we turned to look in the direction it had come from. There was a new door next to the staff room, displaying the statue outside the headmistress' office carved on the door.

"It looks like Hogwarts heard you; perhaps you should go in and explain your idea!"

"What else did you do in that room Dudley? The castle has never done anything like this before, at least not in living memory?"

"It's possible that the castle has been listening in on our conversation; something I am sure it has always done, but what I did in the control room has made it more aware of its surroundings; a bit like waking it up from a dream. If you do not use it, it is quite possible the castle would go back to sleep again. I suggest you take advantage of the opportunity." She looked at me and nodded and quickly went to the room, the door closing behind her.

Harry looked at me! "just what did the castle teach you whilst you were in there, I've seen you perform a spell that professor McGonagall seems to think is an advanced N.E.W.T. level charm, and you seem so much more magically grounded than I would have believed possible.

"the castle taught me a lot of things, if that charm is of N.E.W.T. standard, which I didn't know until I was informed, and all subjects have been taught to the same level, then I would like to take exams in, Defence Against The Dark Arts; Divination; Charms; Transfiguration; Potions; Ancient Runes; Muggle Studies; Arithmancy, although I still hate maths; Care of Magical Creatures; Herbology; and Astrology. I think I'd like to take my apparition test as well!"

"Bloody hell Dudley! That's eleven N.E.W.T.s," he said, counting on his fingers. "The only person I know who took more than that is Hermione, she always was clever right from the start, but you've never been that clever!"

"Just because I never did well at school, don't mistake me for stupid. I never studied hard at school, because most of it was just boring, and didn't interest me. I've always had a good brain in my head, just never had the inclination to use it."

"I'm not saying you're thick, I'm impressed, if you manage to pass all those exams, I wouldn't be surprised if you end up as Minister for Magic eventually!"

I laughed, "come off it Harry, I think you just failed your divination exam, me as Minister, ha ha, bloody ha!"

professor McGonagall came out of the room behind us, that she had entered earlier, "fascinating experience that, Mr. Dursley, I think between us, the castle and myself have come to an understanding about evening corridor patrols, it will certainly be interesting to see what comes of it. Now I couldn't help overhearing you say Harry had failed his Divination exam, I seem to remember that being the case, but whatever was the reason for bringing it up in conversation now? Why don't you tell me, as we make our way back to the great hall for the feast which the castle informs me is waiting for us?"

As we made our way up to the staff table following professor McGonagall, I again told of the exams I'd like to take and Harry's 'prediction' about me being Minister some day. She looked thoughtful at this, "very well Dudley, if that is your wish I won't object, although I insist you undertake to do the O.W.L.s first, just routine, I'm sure you understand. You certainly do seem to like taking shortcuts to do things. I'll inform Kingsley that you will be doing this after you sort out some co-workers in your department. May I say now, that I wish you good luck! I think you're going to need it!" I think she was right! Bloody hell, me and my big mouth...

Please review and give me your views of what you think. I think there is only a couple more chapters to go now. The rest of Dudley's exams and the wedding the story will hopefully continue in a new story, the title of which still eludes me...


	32. Chapter 32

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 32: Blood Brothers & Blood Types

I was beginning to wonder what I'd let myself in for. After I'd single handedly managed to install telephone cables all over Hogwarts and nearly caused multiple heart attacks amongst pupils and staff; because of the castles reaction to having the command room opened. On arrival back at the ministry I learned that I was being promoted, or being upgraded, whatever; I had been a Ministry Social Worker since my first day, and as far as I knew I always would be, but now that I was getting some new social workers to join me in my department, it was decided that my department needed a leader; I was now officially Social Services Minister, my god if I'd known that when I took the job initially, would I still have taken it.

Now that there were others who could go and do the standard 'meet and greet' with muggle parents. It was felt that I could take the exams I'd spoken about in almost jest when I was at Hogwarts. More exams, when would I learn to keep my big mouth shut? Hmm! Knowing me, probably never; I'd most likely get a mouthful of dirt, when I was finally being buried! Oh joy!

The O.W.L. exams took place over a period of a month, longer than was usual with students, but then again I was taking more subjects. God; was I exhausted after that! I was glad that Christmas was rapidly approaching and I could get some much needed rest. I was seated at my desk drinking a much needed cup of coffee, when I glanced over at the calendar there, only ten days till Christmas, the ministry would mostly close down in a week's time, just support staff in case of emergency. I sure hoped that week went quietly and quickly, I was in no mood to be particularly busy.

There was a knock on the door to my new office, much bigger than the last one I'd had; I understand that was now Dennis Creevey's, he being one of the two new social workers in the ministry. I heard he'd undertaken his training through night schooling after I'd got my own position, and whilst he'd been working as security at the ministry. Good for him! It was Kingsley, not more work, please? "Ah, Mr. Dursley, I see you're still here after that last exam, I believe some time off is in order after your rather gruelling ordeal, so I'm informing you that effective from now, you are officially on leave until after New Year! Please enjoy your holiday and I look forward to seeing you arrive back nice and refreshed. As your major tutor, Miss Delacour is also on leave. Do enjoy yourselves, won't you?" He turned to leave, and turned back quickly with a grin on his face. "By the way, may I be the first to wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year."

I was packing things in my briefcase, before he'd turned back to the doorway. An extra weeks' holiday, I couldn't wait. I was worn out. I heard voices outside my office and groaned; surely no one was going to ruin my early Christmas present. I looked up, about to tell whoever it was to go and see one of my other workers, only to see Harry and Gabrielle come in, laughing together. Harry looked up to see me packing, "good you haven't left I mean to ask you something, family matter, not work, so you can take that sour expression off your face." I relaxed slightly. "I was going to ask you earlier, but I've been checking out a lot of legal precedents and family law, to make sure I can do what I want!"

I looked at him; he seemed to be speaking gibberish or gobbledegook, some language I was unfamiliar with! "Don't look at me like that Dudley! I'm perfectly serious, as head of a magical family, I have certain standards I am supposed to maintain, came as a surprise to me, let me tell you. I was going to ask you to be James' godfather, then found out I couldn't. If I were not the head of the Potter family, I would have been able to, but..."

"I'm honoured you would consider me, I don't understand what you mean when you talk about head of the family, but if there are reasons why I cannot be godfather I accept them."

"Will you please let me finish! As I was saying, as head of the Potter family, I am legally obliged to appoint a wizard who is related to me by blood or marriage, or a sibling to this position. Now I really do want you to be his godfather, so does Ginny, so I'm asking you formally, legally and..." he looked me firmly in the eye, "ritually are you willing to accept the role of godfather to my son?"

"I thought you just said I couldn't be?"

"Dudley, ignore that for a minute; are you willing as I asked, formally, legally and ritually ready to accept this role?" I nodded, wondering what he meant by this. He turned to face Gabrielle. "Gabby are you ready to witness and bind as I told you?" She nodded as well. Harry grabbed my left hand and ran his hand across the palm; it felt like he'd cut me with a knife and indeed I was bleeding. I was just about to get something to wrap it with when Gabrielle grabbed my wrist and held my hand steady. In the meantime, Harry had drawn his wand across the palm of his own left hand, drawing blood there also. Gabrielle grabbed his wrist and brought both of our bloody palms together.

"Do you, Harry James Potter; Lord Potter, adopt Dudley Vernon Dursley as your brother, with all familial rights that pertain to this?"

"I do!"

"Do you Dudley Vernon Dursley, accept Harry James Potter; Lord Potter, as your brother, with all familial rights that pertain to this?"

"I do!"

Gabrielle waved her wand over both our joined hands. "I, Gabrielle Marie Dursley; witness this adoption and bind all parties to this agreement. So Mote it be!"

"So Mote it be!" said Harry and nodded to me.

I looked at him, "So Mote it be!"

Harry grinned, released my hand and grabbed me in a big hug. "Congratulations, although you are still my cousin, you are also legally my brother!"

"What!" I looked at my hand, it was completely healed; just some dried blood, "what did we just do? What's the meaning of this, and since when are you a lord?"

"I've legally adopted you as my brother, if your parents had treated us as real brothers or even just cousins, I wouldn't have needed to do this. The lord bit is just that I am the senior male of the Potter family, head of the family; lord of the family estates, accounts etc. I believe that at some time in the distant past, the Lord may have been a bit more than just an affectation, but I have no proof."

"Fascinating I'm sure, but do I understand everything you said, we're brothers; and that was necessary for some legal formality, but how come Sirius Black was your godfather and he had to be related to you to be your godfather, so how is that possible?"

"My grandmother on my father's side was Dorea Black, so we were related that way, there's further proof in that he could leave me Grimmauld Place. There is apparently some magical binding in place; that the home can only be left to someone in the Black family, well here I am!"

"So you're head of the Black family as well? Is that what you're saying?"

"I suppose so, but because I'm descended through the female line, the Black family has essentially died out!"

"I understand, I think; and now because of you just adopting me as your brother, I'm part of the Potter family, how does the fact that I'm older than you affect that?"

"Not at all, I could adopt someone your mother's age or older, as a sibling, their age would make no difference, I am legally and magically the head of the family, nothing can change that fact; I could adopt your mother as a sister, but unfortunately that would make me related to your father, now I understand his reasons for his treatment of me, but I don't want him as a brother-in-law!"

I'd finished packing everything away in my briefcase and was ready to leave; Harry noticed this and got ready to leave himself, "the service is on Sunday at the local church, there'll be nothing magical about the ceremony, I'll give you a small gift and a scroll when you agree to be the godfather during the ceremony, the scroll will be your formal certificate of adoption into the family, just accept it and store it in your vault at a later date. The gift is traditional; given to a godparent, when they accept the honour and obligations of the position."

I nodded to him and grinned, time to spring another surprise on him; I turned on the spot and apparated home. Apparating yourself was not as unpleasant as side-along apparition, you still felt like you were being squeezed through a long dark tunnel, or being drunk like a glass of water; as I had told Hestia and Dedalus, that very first time, but at least you were in control. You knew what was happening. It wasn't my favourite mode of travel, but it was certainly better than using the floo, that felt like the worst sort of fairground ride, spinning and whizzing round at the same time, until you were unceremoniously tossed out the far end.

I arrived in the small square at the centre of Grimmauld Place and quickly made my way across to my front door, and went to put the kettle on, leaving the front door ajar. Sure enough, seconds later I heard two people enter the house and close the door behind them. Before you ask, I passed my test this morning, now who's for a cuppa?"

"You are full of surprises; aren't you brother mine? So might I ask how you think you did on your exams, I promised I wouldn't stress you out whilst you were taking them; but they're over now? Come on, give us the lowdown?" Gabrielle was nodding eagerly beside him.

"Defence, Charms, Magical Creatures, Herbology and Astrology went ok! Arithmancy was alright I suppose, working out complex mathemagical equations isn't my favourite think to do, I must admit. I'm not too sure about Muggle Studies, either, that's because the exam seemed hopelessly dated. Potions wasn't as bad as I expected, considering how I did last time I took an exam in it. Transfiguration wasn't as bad as I expected either, bit disappointing though, I knew what I was doing, but it felt like I lacked the power to do anything easily; a bit like the battery was running down. Ancient Runes was quite easy, I hardly had to refer to the syllabary, I could read the language quite easily; I may use that knowledge to put some wards around the house. Divination was hopeless; the only image I could see was you in Hogwarts saying I'd be Minister for Magic, one day, so I said I saw myself in Kingsley's office, doing his job. A fail there, I think?"

"Hang on! Did you say with runes, that you could read the language, not even Hermione managed to do that? How is that possible?"

"Hogwarts! She knows the languages, they were probably still being used when she was built, and she passed the knowledge onto me! I can write it just as easily and speak it, probably with a 20th century accent though!"

"Bloody hell, Dudley, you're certainly full of surprises, I'll leave you in peace then," he turned to Gabrielle. "Do you think you'll be staying here the night or is it safe for me to put the wards up?"

She looked at me for an answer and I shrugged, it was up to her. "I have no idea, it depends on Dudley, he is extremely tired I may see how he is later!" Harry looked a bit disappointed about this, I'm sure he wanted to try and get an early night, with a newborn in the house!

I thought for a couple of minutes and drew three runes on a piece of paper. I handed it to him and he looked at me in a puzzled way. "I'll leave it up you, if you want to allow me access to your floo, write those runes on my lintel over the fireplace and on yours when you get home, using your wand, it'll add this address to your list of safe locations." I looked at him over the rim of my cup, and could see he was wondering what this all meant. "It's a multi-dimensional link between the two locations; only you can do it as you're a secret keeper for your home; I could probably work out some way to allow me to do it, but I'd need to be in yours to do so. The runes on my fire will set up the potential link; you putting the same ones on yours will confirm the link. Bit like you giving me a magical front door key. If Gabby comes home that way from here, it will bypass the wards!"

"Err! Do you mind if I check this with Hermione first, she's studied runes as well, not that I'm doubting you, but I think I need a second opinion, this is just too surreal." I shook my head and he nodded, "see in a while, I don't think I'll be too long." He apparated with a crack from the kitchen.

Gabrielle looked at me and ordered me to go and rest on the sofa; she was going to do us something to eat, the state I looked in, I'd probably burn water in my attempt to cook. I nodded and took my coffee with me and sat on the sofa, relaxing; I was so tired I wouldn't be surprised if I fell asleep here.

I was woken a short while later by Gabrielle holding a tray with something that smelled delicious. We were sat next to each on the sofa, when green flames erupted from the fire place and Harry stepped into the room, "Hermione seems to think the runes on your fireplace are fine, but I need to put seven on mine, and she's written them down for me!" I waved my arm, performing a silent 'Accio' and the paper and pen flew towards me from the kitchen. I caught the paper, but the pen landed in my dinner.

I retrieved the pen, wiped it on the napkin and wrote down seven runes and handed it to Harry, "were these the runes, she told you to write?" He looked at the paper, I had given him and the runes given to him by Hermione!" he nodded to me. "If I wanted to connect your floo to mine, those are the runes I'd need, it would temporarily shut down your protection; add me to the authorised list of places that can access your property and then reset your wards. As you are in control of the wards around your house, you can bypass the security automatically; it's up to you!"

He thought about this for a few minutes, deep in thought, "ok! I'll take your word for it! You seem to know what you're talking about." He turned to Gabrielle, "I'll see you tomorrow, wherever you spend the night. Enjoy yourselves," and he left via the front door again.

I didn't enjoy myself much that night, neither did Gabby I expect, I woke up in the early hours, with a crick in my neck, a blanket over me. I got myself up and made myself a cup of coffee, and started to make myself some porridge. I looked at the cold fireplace in the grate; blimey it was cold in here. The house was centrally heated, but essentially ran off a back-boiler behind the main fireplace, antiquated idea. I decided to do something about the cold, "Tergeo", the fireplace had essentially been cleaned; "Incendio", I had a nice blazing fire to sit in front of whilst eating my breakfast; magic was ruddy brilliant.

As I came back into the lounge from the kitchen, clutching a steaming bowl of porridge from the microwave and a fresh cup of coffee, there was a flash of green from the fireplace and Gabrielle stepped through from next door. "Morning, sleepy head, you were no fun last night, those exams must have really tired you out. No sooner had you eaten, you fell asleep as if you'd been given the draught of living death, I couldn't wake you, so I covered you in a blanket and went home to Harry's. You'll be pleased to know, he did your spell on the floo, so I'm a lot nearer than next door now, so to speak. Think of the possibilities!"

She had a beautifully mischievous grin on her face and I couldn't help laughing. "Behave or I'll tell Harry that his lodger is trying to corrupt me!" She sat on the sofa wiggling her eyebrows at me, a la bad classic film villain. "Please, Gabby, something occurred to me, about what Harry was saying yesterday. He shouldn't have needed to adopt me as his brother, I was already his cousin, surely that should have been enough?"

"Umm! Perhaps you should ask Harry that?"

"No! Sorry, I'm asking you, you were witness and binder to it, so you must understand it!"

"Err! Ok! But please understand I only know a little from what I heard off you and Harry and a little from some classes at school." I nodded and settled down to listen. "When Harry was living with you, he was protected by blood wards, magical wards that relied on the blood you shared through your mothers. Blood wards are the strongest type of protection there is. You and your parents didn't love Harry or show him any consideration as a relative. If you had done so, the wards on your house would have grown stronger and stronger over time; as it was they barely made it to his 17th birthday. By the time he left your house for good, the wards were ready to collapse; magically your treatment of him had dissolved any relationship you had to him."

"Hang on; let me see if I understand, you're saying because we were rotten to Harry, his magic was refusing to recognise us as related?"

"I am; if you hadn't made an effort to reconcile with him after the war was over, you would never have found him again. You could have spoken to him in the street and not recognised him as your cousin, the magic was that badly damaged by your treatment of him. He was quite willing to forget you ever existed."

"But what about his 18th birthday, I met him then and he forgave me or started to, I'd like to think we were better now than we've ever been?"

"You are! Harry recognised you and forgave you, his magic didn't, and magically he had to make you a member of his family again. You would have been his cousin, by blood, not magic, complicated but a fact; essentially you have been a friend to him since that day; he had to formally recognise you as family again."

"Crikey! I'm glad I made the effort when it was still possible. I'd hate to have lost him forever!"

"Me too, if you'd never tried to make amends, I would never have met you, and I'm so glad I did, because I do love you! Now, I'm even more pleased, so glad you're not a complete muggle, for our future's sake!"

"What does that mean? Sounds like there's something you're not telling me?"

She looked thoughtful for a few minutes, as if thinking what to say. "I love you Dudley Dursley and would have married you, anyway, but what you were able to do with that wand of yours has only made me happier. You know I'm part veela through my mother; no don't interrupt let me finish. If you'd been a complete muggle, it would have meant we could have married, but we'd never have had any children. I understood that; and accepted it anyway. When you confunded that customs officer, it showed me that you can't be a complete muggle, we should be able to have children together!"

"And you were willing to accept me; even though we'd be childless?"

"I was! The conception of children in veela; requires magic; I didn't think you had any of your own; so I was resigned to the fact that I would never have children of my own. I'm very glad I won't have to forego that pleasure!"

"Me too! I want children Gabby, but I don't understand why the conception of children would need magic, apart from the normal muggle sort, being in love etc."

"Alright Dudley listen carefully, I am going to let you in on some secrets about veela! The wizard community in Britain know some of this; the authorities in France know a little more, but not all. This is partly why veela are not regarded as full witches or wizards.

A long time ago, before human history is properly recorded, there was a magical mixing of two species; human wizard and hawk. There is no record anywhere of how this was done, but from this mixture sprang a new species: veela. We are a magical race of hybrids; the hybrid nature of our being requires magic when we mate. Without it we would be infertile even with other veela. Do you understand?"

"Mostly! But I remember you saying your grandfather was a muggle, so how is that possible, as you grandmother was a veela, and then there's that girl, who you identified as part veela, who was taken from her parents for her own safety. She was a muggle, so?"

"Dudley, I have, or had two grandfathers, everybody does, my father's father was a muggle, my mother's was a wizard; no problem there. As for the mother of our part veela child I suspect she is either a squib, or someone who did not go to Hogwarts when she received the letter at age 11. It is quite likely, considering that she was of a strict religious upbringing, some people can be so intolerant about magic, thinking we are Satanists or devil worshippers. Rubbish, wizard society goes back before Christianity, it was the authorities of the church that decided magic was evil, because we could do things they saw as miracles, but without the intervention of their 'God'."

"Well I can see the logic, behind those statements, I've lived with prejudice all my life, because of the attitudes spoken by my parents, and I've seen intolerance in the church as well. there was this one kid, who I'm ashamed to say my gang and I bullied a lot; he was gay, so again did not conform to society's views of normal; I even remember hearing something about the priest being called in to exorcise his homosexuality out of him! Load of rubbish from what I heard later, the kid was still gay after all that garbage; and from what I understand left the church, calling them all a load of filthy hypocrites."

"I am so glad you understand!"

"Mostly, but I still don't understand why veela need magic to conceive, I would have thought that would come easily, just produce different types of kid, part veela or full human!"

"It is not so simple, our bodies are not just part bird, part human, they are hybrid, every part of me, right down to the smallest part of me; when conception occurs my children will always be part veela. Even 100 generations down the line, my descendants will still be part veela. Do you see?"

"I think so, doesn't make complete sense to me, from what I understand from O level biology, but then again, not all O level biology made sense; can I try something? I don't think it will hurt you, but I'll stop if it does!"

She nodded at me and I tried to look at her DNA using magic, but I couldn't focus fine enough. Gabrielle giggled and then started laughing uncontrollably, "Dudley," she gasped between bouts of laughter, "Stop... please... it... it... tickles!" I quickly stopped my scan and slowly she stopped laughing and sat back on the sofa, trying to get her breath back. "What did you do? It felt like you were tickling me all over, inside as well!"

I sat there and told her about the basic building blocks of life, DNA and how they shaped what we were and how each generation traits from past generations became more and more diluted through dilution until eventually no part of her descendants should be veela, there not being enough veela DNA to make a difference, a bit like diluting cordial, until eventually there was no cordial left to dilute.

She listened carefully and thought over what I had been saying, nodding and muttering to herself. I left her to her thoughts and gathered up my breakfast crocks and went to get us both a drink from the kitchen.

I was returning, when she stopped muttering and looked up at me, "how do muggles look at this NDA stuff?" I sat for a few minutes explaining about ways of magnifying images and eventually came to electron microscopes, I couldn't say how they worked but they could make images of things so small that the human eye couldn't even see. She sat there listening intently, I don't know if I was making sense or not, but at least she listened. When I finally dried up, having exhausted the small bit of information I had, she took her wand and jabbed it in her arm drawing blood. I gasped, but she put her other hand on my mouth and flicked her wand, muttering something.

I was suddenly looking at a blood spot, the size of a dinner plate floating in the middle of the lounge, again and again, she waved her wand and the image changed, we got to see different types of cells in the blood, individual cells and eventually were looking at a single cell. More and more she waved her wand and the image changed rapidly, I soon lost track of where or what we were looking at, but eventually she stopped and looked hard at the view in front of us. I looked at the image there, seeing the familiar double helix of DNA; but then looked hard as I realised the significance of what I was seeing; a triple helix. I gasped aloud and the image vanished, Gabrielle turned to me, puzzlement in her eyes, "what did you see? What made you break the spell?"

"Don't you realise what we just saw Gabby, it proves exactly why magic is needed, my DNA is bound in a double helix, so is that of all species on this planet, you have a triple helix, I would have more chance of having children with a horse than you, and that's not possible. You've definitely proved why magic is needed, and I'm glad I've got It." we both sat there thinking about what we had learned over the past hour or so. "Is there anything else you need to tell me before we get married, I'm not going to have to sit on an egg to hatch it am I?"

"Not quite!"

"Oh no, you're joking! You are not going to lay an egg?"

"The baby will be born in a protective covering, not unlike an eggshell, but that can be removed immediately, the baby is born fully formed, nobody has to sit on the egg!"

I relaxed slightly, I had been partially joking when I asked if I'd have to hatch an egg, but I'd heard of how sometimes a baby is born with a caul, this sounded something similar, I could learn to accept and understand this new facet of my future life.

Gabrielle and I spent the next few days together almost all the time, whether it was cuddled up together on the sofa, or doing some last minute shopping in either magical shops, I even managed to find a photo-frame which appealed to my sense of humour, to give as a christening present to my god-child; although not the usual fframe, the carving of owls and a large fish, essentially a pictogram of a whale, was I thought a reminder of myself and Harry as kids; him the owl with his glasses and me, the whale.

The christening went well, with Gabrielle and myself as godparents to little James Sirius Potter. There was an unexpected pair of guests present, Mum and Dad were there. Mum looking ever so happy, as I was godfather; Dad looking like a rabbit caught in the headlights of an approaching car. I could see the fear there in his eyes and he was almost eloquent, when he shook the hands of Harry and Ginny after the ceremony; albeit it very briefly as if he expected this limited contact to turn him into a toad or something. They both left soon after the service, Mum looking disappointed, Dad very relieved. Well at least he'd behaved himself as far as I could see.

Harry and Ginny gave me a bracelet to commemorate my becoming the godfather of little James; I was a little puzzled by this until later he explained it had a charm in the metalwork that would let me know if anything was ever to happen to his parents and I would need to begin acting loco parentis to my young charge. I'd never been one for jewellery before, but I would wear this with pride to denote my new status.

On the Thursday before Christmas, the 23rd, Gabrielle and I went to my parents where we would be spending the next few days, until heading off to France to spend the New Year with her family. I had my old room and Gabrielle was put in the guest room, next to mine, both Mum and Dad were adamant that nothing improper would be going on under their roof, thank you very much. Gabrielle and I had both made the decision that we would wait until after the wedding, for our own reasons.

As I was making my way downstairs to breakfast on Christmas Eve; I heard a loud protest from the kitchen; "bloody owls, thought we'd seen the last of those things when your nephew moved out Petunia? What's the bloody thing doing here? Is it lost?"

I walked into the kitchen and the owl hooted and waddled across the table towards me hooting, I retrieved the letter tied to its leg, and to Dad's dismay, fed it a piece of bacon that I pinched from his plate. The owl hooted again and left again through the open window. "What's your letter?" asked Mum, as if this were an everyday experience as she put more bacon on Dad's plate and handed a freshly poured cup of tea to Gabrielle who was grinning at the unexpected drama at the breakfast table.

I opened the letter and began to read aloud:

Dear Dudley,

Please find enclosed the results of the O.W.L. exams taken by yourself earlier this month, it is with great pleasure that I enclose your results and say that I look most enthusiastically to the results you receive in your forthcoming N.E.W.T.s.

Ancient Runes O.

Arithmancy E.

Astrology E.

Care of Magical Creatures E.

Charms O.

Defence Against the Dark Arts O.

Divination E.

Herbology E.

History of Magic O.

Muggle Studies E.

Potions E.

Transfiguration A.

I must say again that I am extremely pleased with these results, considering your unique status in our world. Best wishes for the future.

M. McGonagall.

Headmistress.

As I read the results out loud, the grin on Gabrielle's face got wider and wider. Mum and Dad both looked at me in awe and confusion, Dad slightly fearfully as well. "Dudley, son, what does this mean? Are you a ruddy w... w... wizard as well now?" I didn't look forward to this conversation.

Authors Note: 1) I have heard of births with a caul, a lot in fiction and indeed heard of a birth where the whole body is encased in the caul. Thanks to Wikipedia; I have learned that this is an 'en-caul' birth, where the entire amniotic sac is still whole when the baby is born; a veela birth perhaps? I'll leave that to the geneticists.

2) I would anticipate that in a veela / veela marriage that after conception, the 'veela DNA' would combine and then the egg split giving two identical human halves, but different veela halves, but then again I'm no geneticist.

Please review and give me your thoughts on this chapter. Dudley is not going to have any veela DNA of his own; this would have resulted in him being admitted to Hogwarts when he was 11, that acting as booster to his own muggle/squib DNA. The results are important although you won't find out the reasons in this story... Enjoy reading!


	33. Chapter 33

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 33: A New Year And New Wands

The Christmas holidays were by the very fact that I'd received my exam results by owl on Christmas Eve, a little tense. Dad spent most of the time looking fearfully at me as if I was suddenly going to transform into some evil wizard out of fiction and turn him into a toad or something. He was extremely polite though, anxious not to get into my bad books. I quite enjoyed watching him wanting to play his mouth, and sitting like a scared rabbit, holding his tongue, it was refreshing not to have to listen to his bigoted rants.

Mum was pleased, but also a little bit shocked that I had been able to learn magic and so quickly too. She couldn't remember the episode in St. Mungo's where she'd performed magic herself, or the all too real spells she'd learned that day, at her own request her memory had been modified, so even if I told her the truth, she wouldn't have been able to retain or remember it.

Dad was quite incapable of comment on the subject, every mention of Potions or Arithmancy or anything else of a wizarding nature, and he'd go pale and just sit there looking scared, at least he didn't rant or rave about it. Our conversation where he'd admitted to his fear of magic seemed to have cured him of that, but occasionally he would excuse himself looking rather white, and not return for half an hour.

The pair of them were quite shocked that I would be taking my motorbike to France to see Gabrielle's parents, as there was snow on the ground, the morning of our planned departure, they was quite adamant that it wouldn't be safe to drive a bike on such treacherous roads. Gabrielle and I had stopped up late the night before, to discuss this very argument and we had both decided that another revelation was in order; that on the day our departure we would leave him in no doubt that we would be safe.

We were all seated at the kitchen table eating breakfast, and Dad was reading his paper, "look, Dudley, it says there's been snow in northern France. Are you sure you won't do the sensible thing and go by train? I don't want you killing yourself and that pretty fiancé of yours over some silly pride issue!" Mum was nodding anxiously in agreement with him.

I sighed, "Dad, do you remember the registration of my bike and what I said the day I took delivery?" looking at him over the rim of my second coffee of the morning.

"Hmm! Oh yes, the registration was 'broom' wasn't it and you remarked that all your colleagues had them and you wanted one of your own, or something like that. Only glad the neighbours didn't hear that. Isn't it against the law to tell normal people about magic?"

"Something like that! Well I wasn't exactly telling the truth about the bike; it's not a custom made bike; it's a custom made broomstick. It only looks like a motorbike. Gabby and I aren't driving to France, we're flying! Oh and for future reference, don't refer to them as normal people; the correct term is muggle, and yes there is a law against telling them, but I don't think the neighbours would have understood the reference if they'd heard it."

"Muddles, you say? Ok I'll try to remember. Modified broom you say? How did you get permission to do that?"

"No Dad, the correct word is muggle, M U G G L E, and I didn't need permission to do the modification, you heard about this bike from Harry on my eleventh birthday when we all went to the zoo, remember he said he had a dream about a flying motorbike. You almost bit his head off with your comment that motorbikes don't fly; well that is the self same flying motorbike he was talking about. We had it checked out and tested for safety after my car was burnt out; he gave it to me!"

"Well, I might owe him an apology, bit bloody late now of course and he was talking in the presence of your friend; that could have been seen as revealing m... magic to what was it; muggles?"

"He thought a flying motorbike was way better than the flying car in the James Bond film we'd seen on the television, we talked about it later, even drew pictures trying to work out how you could get a bike to fly. Of course, he also made fun of Harry, saying he must be a nutter to have such a dream."

"Oh! I see!"

"Are you sure you're going to be safe, Dudley, I mean flying all that distance with the possibility of snow? I'll still worry, even if you aren't driving on icy roads, it can be equally if not more dangerous if you're airborne in a snowstorm. The airports always stop flights when it's snowing!"

"Mum, it's just under 400 miles, we can make that journey in less than two hours, of course we don't plan on going that fast, but we'll be careful! Besides, you have to appreciate the bike is safer than a plane, no motor to stall, no wings to ice up, it flies by magic not motors."

"That can't be true, Dudley, I definitely heard a motor when you first turned it on, sounded just like a nor... muggle motorbike!"

"Simple!" said Gabrielle, she waved her wand, which she removed from her handbag, at a cup on the table and it gave of a sound like a herd of stampeding horses, "it is merely the illusion of sound, there is nothing there!"

Dad nodded at this, looking at the wand, as if he expected it to leap from her hand and bite him on the nose, going paler, the longer the wand was visible. He was almost ready to leave the room in a rush and change his trousers by the time Gabrielle had put her wand away. "Seems like cheating to me, and dishonest to boot, I mean you're using bloody m... m... magic to deceive people that something is what it's not!"

"Utter claptrap, there's no magic involved in the disguise, it's several motorbike parts joined together to make a whole; a custom bike, just like it says, and the engine noise is no different to putting a different exhaust on a car to make it sound more powerful. Why even the police use more deception when they use an unmarked car to catch you for speeding, and you must agree that that's dishonest?" I knew he'd agree with me here, he'd been caught several times for speeding in his car and was just one conviction away from a driving ban!

"Oh, bloody hell, Dudley, don't get me started on the bleeding police, too busy chasing decent motorists for going a couple of miles over a speed limit; when they should be trying to catch murderers, rapists, and all manner of perverts!"

"Dad! SHUT UP!"

"What! Wh... Oh right sorry!"

Eventually they had reluctantly agreed that I would be safe, but had insisted that I use the tunnel to go across to France, rather than flying over the Channel, what with the risk of snow and everything; and the solemn promise that we'd call them as soon as we arrived in France and at her parents. We both reluctantly let ourselves be talked into this condition as we'd already decided that neither of us fancied travelling 22 miles over open water, with nowhere to land but a passing fishing boat, uggh!

As we were kitting up to depart, I heard Dad muttering, something along the lines of 'bloody unnatural... end up killing... selves,' under his breath. I knew in a way this was his fear surfacing, worrying about my continuing involvement with magic; I ignored him! What else could I do? More debating on the subject would just get him more agitated over the whole issue and I didn't want that. So it was that Gabrielle and I took off from the driveway of 4 Privet Drive with Mum and Dad watching through the window, they couldn't really watch from the driveway in case the neighbours saw. This way if the neighbours noticed the bike gone, they'd just assume they missed the departure.

So it was that three and a half hours later, Gabrielle and I were warming up in front of a roaring fire at the Delacour family home. It was nice to be able to talk openly about magic and work, without the feeling that any second an argument could erupt, Dad was trying to conquer his fears, but his prejudices still got the worst of him at times.

We spent the holiday talking about the wedding, something which I'd always assumed a girly subject, but discussing plans for our future made for a pleasant time. I was adamant that I wanted to acknowledge the magical side of our union in the service, but this would bring complications of its own.

I knew that a large portion of my new family would be veela, and there could be complications with that many veela in attendance, I didn't want anything to cause problems on our day. Most mature veela were very much in control of their allure, but from what I had learned from Gabrielle, there could be complications from some of the younger members of the family. When a young veela hit puberty, the allure began to manifest itself and until proper control was learnt everyone in the vicinity was affected, I didn't want complications of that nature at the wedding. A rapid conversation in French occurred between all the Delacour's, leaving me wondering what I had stirred up! I hope I hadn't put an unexpected hitch on the proceedings.

Gabrielle eventually turned to look at me, a mischievous grin on her face, "so, Dudley, how do you fancy being married in a cathedral?"

I looked at her, wondering if she'd even heard my worries! "What? ..."

"The Cathédrale Saint-Bénigne de Dijon, the cathedral for the region of Dijon has special wards against veela allure built into the structure. These were built into the structure when it was designed, several hundred years ago; I am sure that with family connections, the necessary dispensations can be obtained, it is the local family church after all?"

"Are you serious? We could get married in a real cathedral? That would be brilliant, and would impress my Dad no end, he'd probably be so impressed that he'd forget his fears!"

"Well there is another advantage, as well as allure suppressing charms built into the structure, it also has other charms built in, muggles don't notice magic going on in the building; now I understand that you are catholic and I have seen the church in London, you usually attend; unfortunately the minister there is a muggle, but I do know where we could get a wizard priest to do the ceremony if you are willing?"

"Hang on! Wizard priest, forgive my ignorance, but what do you mean by that? I want to be married by a proper catholic priest!"

"Of course! What did you think I meant? No don't bother to answer that! What I mean, is a wizard who has been ordained as a priest, there are several; but I know of one who would possibly be willing to perform the wedding for us!"

"Who? I've never given that aspect of the wizard world much thought; but it makes sense that you'd have people who wish to enter the church!"

"The priest I have in mind is a father Niall, he's the Parish priest at St. Stephen's Church in Godric's Hollow; he would be willing I think to perform the ceremony, especially considering your family links to the area!"

"That sounds brilliant; the idea of family links as well, means a lot, but how are you aware of who is the priest in a small village in rural England. Ok, the village was the birthplace of Godric Gryffindor, but not exactly the place you'd be particularly acquainted with, living here in France?"

"No particular reason, just visiting Godric's Hollow when we were in holiday in Britain, and him being somewhat of a cousin-in-law, by marriage; if I remember rightly he is a third cousin, once removed, through his sister. Something, like that anyway, who really cares?"

"That would be brilliant, it would mean something to Mum as well, I'm sure; a connection with her sister; and Harry would appreciate the irony of the situation too; I definitely want to reciprocate the favour he asked of me and have him be my best man."

"Oh! I like that idea too! The first boy I ever kissed as the best man to my future husband, and he was also the cause of my meeting you, at his wedding!"

I showed a look of mock horror and indignation of my face, and looked at her; "should I have any worries here, the first boy you kissed?" I knew the story of course, she'd already told me of Harry rescuing her from the lake at Hogwarts, but I couldn't resist teasing her!

"Now why should you be worried of Harry Potter; the Boy Who Lived? One day mark my words he will be known as the brother of Dudley Dursley, the first muggle Minister for Magic in English history!"

"Come off it Gabby, I never should have mentioned that to you! It was just an idea that I couldn't get out of my head, something Harry said that I remembered when taking my divination O.W.L. I'll never be the minister."

"Maybe not, put my point is I don't care about Harry; it's you I'm marrying, if you want Harry as your best man, then I agree, that is who you should have, I was only teasing about him being the first boy I kissed!" She leaned across the sofa we were sitting on and kissed me.

When the kiss ended I laughed and struck a pompous pose, "I dunno, could you really see me as Minister for Magic, I could wear a lime green bowler hat like that idiot, Fudge; that Harry talks about?" That did it, both Gabrielle and I rolled off the sofa, at the image of me in a lime green bowler hat. God I loved this girl.

The rest of our stay with Gabby's family was special to me in slightly different ways, I'd never seen the New Year in, in anywhere other than Britain, so seeing it in to the chimes of church bells and watching a firework display from the back garden was a genuine treat, made me feel like a 10 year old again; the first time I'd ever been allowed up to see the New Year proper.

It was agreed that M. and Mme. Delacour should make the arrangements for the wedding, probably sometime in April, giving them plenty of time to make proper arrangements, I provided them with addresses for my parents and Aunt Marge, making sure they were aware that she was completely ignorant of the wizard world and her invitation should be sent by muggle post. So it was that reluctantly on January 3rd, we made our way back to Britain and work, which would be restarting two days later on the Wednesday.

I didn't see Harry or his family, when I got back, as apparently they were still at the Weasley's and would be there until we were due back at work. I think, probably Mrs. Weasley was reluctant to let her latest grandchild out of her sight; she always struck me as the kind of woman that loved children. So it was that on arrival at work on January 5th, I was confronted by my cousin/brother wanting to know how I'd done in my examinations. It was with some slight reluctance that I handed over the letter that I'd received by owl on Christmas eve; don't get me wrong, I was proud of my results, but everyone always reacted the same way; how did a dumb muggle like me do so well?

Harry read the results through and grinned, "I do believe my sister-in-law has got a rival for brightest witch/wizard of our age; you're going to eclipse her achievements, mark my words. I'm glad for you!" Well this was different than what I had expected, and I looked across at him. "What's the matter, not used to compliments?"

I looked him in the eye, "it's not the usual response I get! Usually it's how come a muggle can score so high in wizard exams? I've heard that some people think I must be cheating somehow?"

"They must be joking with McGonagall making all the arrangements for your exams; you've got proper exam adjudicators, and proper warding on where you take them. That should make everyone realise you can't cheat, any cheat spells are rendered inoperable."

"I wish they would realise that! Don't get me wrong, it's been a lot of hard work to get these exam results. I'm not particularly enjoying taking the exams themselves; but I am proud of what I've achieved and I dislike someone saying I'm cheating."

"Hmm! I'll speak to Kingsley, let him know that there have been rumours that possible cheating is involved and make sure he does some damage limitation on your behalf! After all we don't want my cousin's achievements to be tainted by malicious rumours."

With Harry's reassurance that he would make it clear my results were genuine, and an invitation to join the family for a meal that evening, I set about sorting through the paperwork that had accumulated during my absence.

That night, at Harry's, he gave me a large package and a similar one to Gabrielle, "bit late, but Happy Christmas to the both of you!" He glanced at Ginny, with a grin and back to us, eagerly wanting to see our reactions. "Well, come on, I want to see what you think!"

Gabrielle and I looked at each other and quickly unwrapped the parcels, the contents of each looked identical except for the size, a matching set of motorcycle riding leathers; I looked at mine closely, not recognising the make but appreciating the quality, but Gabrielle gasped at hers. "Harry! What type of material is this? I don't recognise the hide. It's not normal leather or even dragon hide?"

I glanced at her and started to look closer at the material, they were made of. She was right, it wasn't leather, indeed, it was thinner than normal leather and seemed to show scales in the fabric, I looked at Harry and raised my eyebrows! "it's not leather or dragon hide; it's actually basilisk skin, better than leather, not as durable or as tough as dragon hide, but a hell of a lot more supple."

"But Harry, where did you get so much basilisk hide from, they're extremely rare! I've only heard of two in the past 100 years, these riding leathers must have cost you nearly a years wages each?" I looked at Gabrielle in surprise, as she said this; I hadn't thought of that when I saw them.

"Well, basilisk hide is expensive and rightly so, because it's rare, but these garments were paid for in part by themselves. Dudley do you remember anything you were told by Mrs. Figg about my second year?"

At his remark, I shook my head, "something about a book and you rescuing a student, not much else, the last time I really thought about that long ago was in the letter I got from Mrs. Figg."

"Ok! Well you're right about those details, but missing some important facts out; I rescued a student true, it was Ginny, what you're missing is that I killed a basilisk during the rescue. As the killer of the basilisk, all useable parts of it became mine, by law and tradition! I only found that out as part of the research into family law and my estate when I was looking into you being James' godfather. Now that basilisk was nearly fifty foot long when I killed it and it had been shedding its skin once a year for nearly a millennium. Some of the older skin had long since fallen to dust, but the newer skins, probably the last fifty or sixty skins it shed were still viable enough to be of use. With the help of some of the house elves at Hogwarts, I managed to salvage all the usable skin, venom, and skeleton. Every bit of basilisk that was of any use, and every bit of it is useful; I traded some of the basilisk skin to a worker of dragon hides in payment for making your outfits. Even after all that I reckon I must have made at least a couple of hundred thousand galleons profit from it all!"

I sat thinking for a few minutes, "blimey, Harry you're a millionaire then, you made a million pounds profit from the sale of that basilisk!"

"Err! Hate to break it to you Dudley, but I already was; I'd never paid that much attention to my family worth before I wanted to make you James' godfather, but I found out quite a lot when I was looking into the family accounts. I own this house, the manor in Godric's Hollow, although that's a ruin now; there's a house in the Algarve; one in France, a couple in Italy and Spain; and a muggle apartment block in the States somewhere, built in the '70's, quite a large one from what I could ascertain. On top of that there's the gold in my family vault already, that alone is at least a million galleons, and then there's the jewellery and suchlike stored there, some of which I understand is nearly a thousand years old!"

"Bloody hell Harry, whatever you do, don't let Dad know that, he'd probably want some payment for looking after you all those years, if you could call the conditions you grew up in being looked after; I wouldn't."

"He wouldn't dare say a thing about it to me, if he valued his life; in the course of my study of the family account's I found out that he was being paid the equivalent of a well off family's annual income to take care of me. Further investigation showed it went into an account that helped prop up his company around the time I first arrived; it was nearly going under at the time. I don't think your mother knew; it's a separate account to their joint account, see!"

"Blimey, and he had the bloody cheek to rant on about how much it cost to feed and clothe you all the years you were with us? I'm surprised you don't do something about it now! Come to think of it, why haven't you?"

"Well I figured it would only end up hurting your Mum in the long run! I've made my peace with her and she's benefitted unknowingly from it all these years, and the payments stopped when I was 17. There's no need any more!"

"You're a better man than me! I'd have rubbed his face in it! The fact that you were basically supporting the whole family whilst you were living with us!"

"No thanks! As I said I don't think your Mum knows and I don't want her to know and make her feel more guilty about being so unkind to me over the years, I know she still feels it in some way, I can see the shame and embarrassment in her eyes whenever I see her. Let bygones be bygones I say!"

The conversation slowly wound down after that and I made my goodbyes and set off home. The ruddy house was freezing; I'd forgotten to light the fire when I came in; so the central heating hadn't warmed the house up. The fire was all laid in the grate, so I waved my hand in the air and intoned, "Incendio." Bloody hell! What had I done, flames shot up the chimney, and out into the room, the fuel in the fire place was all gone and the smoke was everywhere?

There was a loud crack and I looked through the smoke to see the figure of Harry standing blinking in my lounge, coughing at the smoke. "What the bloody hell happened, the walls in the back of my fireplace glowed red and the fire suppression wards nearly activated! I come round here to find your house full of smoke! What did you do for god's sake?"

"I honestly don't know! Just tried to light the fire magically, like I have done before, nothing has changed as far as I know! It just exploded on me!"

Harry waved his wand through the smoke and it seemed to funnel its way through the room and out the chimney. "I'm going to do some checking on your fireplace and your house in general; I want to see if someone has managed to put a curse or jinx here, to harm you if you performed magic." I nodded to this, a bit worried myself about what had happened! For the next half an hour Harry walked through the house, waving his wand and muttering under his breath, I couldn't hear the spells he was using, but whatever they were for, his expression slowly changed from concerned to mystified. "There's no curses or jinxes on your property at all; everything is absolutely normal! I don't understand what can have happened. Let me have a look at your wand!"

I opened my coat to get the wand from beneath my shirt, where I usually kept it these days, on a cord around my neck and next to my skin. The front of my shirt looked scorched as I had ironed it with a too hot iron and the wand had a light coating of soot on it! "What the hell, happened; this was a brand new shirt, now it's ruined!"

Harry took my wand and examined it closely, then waved his own wand over it several times. "I don't know what happened, but your wand is showing some damage. I'm no expert in wands, but I'd say you put too much magic into your spell and through the wand. Instead of just lighting your fire, you nearly burnt the bloody house down. No more magic, until you go to Ollivander's and sort this out. I recommend first thing in the morning. I'll let Kingsley know in the morning where you are! Gabby can go with you!" I nodded numbly at this and shivered slightly wondering what was wrong. Harry saw my shiver and seeming to think it was due to the cold in the house. With a couple of flicks of his wand; he'd cleaned up the fireplace, laid a new fire and lit it. "I'll tell Ginny and Gabby about what has happened and send Gabby round in the morning; I recommend you don't even wear that wand till then, at least not in contact with skin." I nodded numbly and Harry apparated back home with a crack.

The next morning I was sat drinking my fourth cup of coffee and thinking about what had happened the night before. I'd never had a problem before with my wand and now all of a sudden I couldn't use it! What had changed since the last time I actually used it to cast a spell? The front door opened and Gabrielle came into the kitchen, I'd given her a key for the front door, but I knew she used her wand to open the door; made no difference really, the key was just a symbol. I looked at her bleary eyed, "morning Gabby, I assume you've heard the news then; Dudley Dursley, muggle wizard, first potential muggle minister for magic nearly cooked himself last night trying to light a fire. Shows how good the both of us are at divination!"

She sat down next to me, "you look awful; did you get any sleep last night?" I shook my head muttering something vaguely in the negative. I'd tossed and turned most of the night, trying to fathom the problem out. I was at a loss. What had I done wrong? "You idiot, don't you understand what happened to you just before Christmas on your last day at work?"

I looked at her with incomprehension in my eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Harry adopted you as his brother; now this is just supposition of my part, but I think he did more than just adopt you as a brother! I was reading some old textbooks from school last night after Harry told me what happened here! I think in the adoption, he did more than he intended, he made you a full wizard as well!"

"What?"

"There was one case, deep in French Magical history, a wizard adopted a squib relative after another part of his family had disowned it; the wizard in question couldn't have any more children of his own due to other problems. The ultimate consequence of that was that eventually the child developed magic of its own; wasn't a squib anymore. The child eventually attended Beauxbatons, graduated and became a full member of our society. One of his current descendants is the French Minister for Magic, Adrien Flamel!"

"Flamel; I've heard that name before. Wasn't he the only wizard to make the Philosopher's Stone? Something to do with immortality!"

She leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek, "good, you remember something of your history! Yes! Nicholas Flamel was the wizard in question, after taking the potion made using the stone; he was immortal, but no longer able to father any children. He was responsible for the first wizard orphanage in French Legal history! He never adopted another child that way, but surrounded himself with children. He only died a few years ago. His funeral was attended by more people than any other person in French wizarding history, all the children he had cared for in his orphanages, the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, 600 years of descendants of orphans."

"Ok! So Flamel was able to adopt a squib and make them into a real wizard, are you saying that is what happened to me? How come it's never been noticed before, this empowerment, how come it's not something done more often?"

"It caused quite a stir at the time, but was put aside as a footnote in history; the official story in the history books says that Nicholas Flamel adopted a wizard child. There's rumours and speculation about whether the child was a squib or not, whether it was all staged in order to get him another heir. The real truth may be lost to us now that Nicholas is dead, but the important thing is that, it may give an understanding of what happened to you. I think that when Harry adopted you, he made you into a full wizard; last night was the first magic you've done using your wand since then. Do you remember, Mr. Ollivander saying that thestral hairs were not used in wizard wands, because they overloaded the wand. That's what you did last night."

I sat there thinking about the day in question, when we'd taken the first wizard computer to Mr. Ollivander to get his help on the problem we'd encountered, getting it to work, without my wand. He'd mentioned something about the Great Fire of London; I couldn't remember all the details. Good grief what a pickle, now it seemed, just as I was actively learning to use magic, I wouldn't be able to do it anymore, because I was too powerful for my wand. Just my luck.

Gabrielle apparated me to the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron and we quickly made our way through to the small courtyard at the back, nodding in passing to Hannah who seemed to be in the middle of taking a delivery or something. Like the last time I had been to Diagon Alley, there were fires and braziers burning, keeping off the winter chill, I really ought to frequent this area, get myself some books to find things out on my own, not just work for these ruddy exams.

The bell above the door rang as we entered the shop and the young man who had been there last time looked up from behind the screen of a laptop that he was working on. "Hang on; I've seen the two of you before; now when was it? Sorry! How can I help you this morning?" I looked significantly at the computer sitting on the counter and back at the young man raising my eyebrows. A smile lit his face. "I remember Mr. Dudley and Miss Delacour was it not; you built the first of these computers? Pleasure to meet you again! Have you invented something else for use in the wizard world?"

"Not quite!" I took my wand from my pocket and handed it across, "I nearly caused a Great Fire of London incident last night when I tried to light my fire at home; consumed all the coal in the grate, caused the stonework behind it to glow red and filled the house with smoke!"

"Err! Fascinating, I must say Mr. Dudley, you do seem to cause some interesting conundrums, let me fetch grandfather from the back, I'm sure he'll want to be here for this!" He stepped behind one of the shelves and we heard footsteps; a few seconds later he came back, "he won't be long now, mostly stays in the back these days, I tend to look after the shop with my cousin during the holidays."

Soon the old man shuffled from behind the shelves, using a walking stick to help himself along, he turned to face Gabrielle and I, and a smile lit up his face. "I remember the two of you; willow and veela hair, blackthorn and thestral tail hair; sorry but I'm dreadful with names, never forget a wand, but names!"

"It's Dudley Dursley and Gabrielle Delacour, Mr. Ollivander, so nice to meet you again." The grandson got a sheepish look on his face and looked ready to apologise for getting my name wrong; I just gave him a look and shook my head. He nodded his understanding and assisted his grandfather to a wooden carved chair that seemed to be his when he was in the shop these days.

Mr. Ollivander handed me back my damaged wand, "Xander tells me that you mentioned a Great Fire of London incident, do you mind telling me everything about it? Please spare no detail, no matter how insignificant. He sat there eagerly, watching me carefully as I again related the story of last night and nearly burning the house down. "Fascinating, my boy, absolutely fascinating, I must say, you do seem to enjoy making the life of an old wizard interesting. Have you any ideas, what might have happened to cause this?"

Gabrielle then took over and relayed the story of my adoption by Harry and her theory that somehow, I had been made a full wizard by his actions. My actions last night being the first time I had actually used the wand to do active magic since then; only using it as a tool to ride a broom other than that.

"Intriguing! I've only heard of similar incidents when a wizard tried to use a wand that wasn't theirs, a stolen or borrowed wand. Often a child will get hold of their parents wands and do something of the same sort." He turned to his grandson, "Xander the tape measure if you please!"

Xander fetched what looked like a normal tape measure, with which he used to measure my right arm from shoulder to elbow, he nodded to his grandfather who gave him a wave of his hand and continued to watch me, as the tape measure began measuring things on its own; my inside leg measurement, the length of my nose, the distance between my eyes amongst other odd things. The old man just watched as the tape measured these things, but Xander was quickly going about the shop, collecting a number of boxes from the shelves. Eventually he came back to where the tape measure was now measuring the outline of my ear, he placed about a dozen boxes on the counter and the tape measure dropped to the floor in a heap.

Xander opened one of the boxes and pulled out a wand and handed it to me, "try giving it a wave Mr. Dursley;" but before I could even get the chance, he'd taken it from me and handed me another. Wand after wand nothing happened, on the seventh, there was a bang from somewhere and Mr. Ollivander was nearly thrown backwards in his chair, only the fact that it had hit a shelf had saved him from a nasty fall. Very rapidly I had gone through pile of boxes in front of me; no magic had seemed to happen, unless knocking the old gentleman over counted.

"I'm sorry, if I'm causing you a problem, Mr. Ollivander, Xander!"

"Not at all my boy! Not at all! Haven't had a challenge like this in years. Really it's cases like yours that make this job so interesting." Xander was off collecting another selection of boxes from the shelves, the previous pile, just sitting haphazardly on the counter where they were.

Another armful of boxes was brought from the shelves, and one by one I was handed them to give a wave, nothing was happening. It all seemed a dud, I don't know what had happened, but it seemed I wasn't going to be able to do magic anymore.

The last wand that Xander handed to me was from a box that looked so dusty it was quite conceivable it had been around since 382BC, the year when the company had first started trading according to the sign hanging up outside. Xander tipped the closed box in his grandfather's direction before opening it and handing me the wand within. Suddenly the piece of wood in my hand felt warm, as if it was meant to be there, not just a stick of wood like the others. I gave wand a wave and a shower of gold stars, shot from the end and quickly faded. I had found a new wand.

The look on the face of the two Ollivanders was pleased and truth to be told a little surprised. "Congratulations, Mr. Dursley, olive wood and phoenix tail feather; the only tail feather from a female phoenix that I ever used. A most unique wand! For I must say a most unique wizard!"

Gabrielle gasped at this and looked at me. "Harry's wand has a phoenix tail feather as well, from Dumbledore's phoenix, sadly Fawkes died when Dumbledore was buried."

"You know, Mr. Potter, well this is interesting, yes his wand contained a tail feather from Dumbledore's phoenix, the same as Mr. Riddle's; most interesting. How do you know Mr. Potter, might I ask?"

"He's my cousin, Harry, he was the wizard I mentioned adopting me."

"Fascinating, fascinating, I must admit Mr. Dursley, you are quite a remarkable young man, a muggle who has learned to do magic, related to Harry Potter and now with a wand containing a phoenix feather, not unlike his; of course his tail feather is from a male phoenix, but the similarities are quite amazing..." His eyes closed and his head dropped to his chest and the gentle sound of light snores could be heard!

Xander excused himself and picked the older Mr. Ollivander up and carried him gently out to the back of the shop again, returning momentarily, "sorry about that, he really isn't all that well these days; he shouldn't exert himself too much; I'll be glad when my cousin James graduates and grandfather can retire properly, but the shop has to have an Ollivander in charge, some old family binding." I looked askance at him. He grinned, "I'm Xander Jones, my mother was the eldest daughter; my cousin is James Ollivander, his father was my mum's younger brother; when he graduates and comes to work here, grandfather can retire peacefully."

I nodded in understanding to this statement and paid the required seven Galleons for my new wand, and Gabrielle and I left the shop to head back to the ministry and the rest of our days work. I wonder what Harry would think when he heard about my news and my new wand...

I apologise for the long wait for this chapter, pressures of work and family meant I didn't have as much time to write as I normally do. Please continue to read and let me know what you think. All reviews welcomed.

A special mention here goes to SpangleyPony; who really took the last chapter to heart, and complimented me on my biological discourse; several PM's were exchanged over my views and hers. It was definitely gratifying that someone cared enough to want to discuss individual points of theory, on what is essentially a writer's whimsy!

Author Note: 1) James Bond, The Man With the Golden Gun was made for cinema in 1974, and would have been on television by that time, 1992.

2) The real Cathédrale Saint-Bénigne de Dijon may or may not have wards built into its walls. The naming of any place or person is purely coincidental and no inference should be incurred.


	34. Chapter 34

The Start of Something New

Rating: K+ I think slight bad language by Dudley.

Disclaimer: I have no rights to these characters, they being the sole property of JK Rowling and am making no money from said story.

After the Incident with the Dementors Dudley has made peace of a sort with Harry. This is hopefully the furtherance of their friendship / family relationship after they leave school and move on to adult life.

The Start of Something New

Chapter 34: Exams, Ennoblements And Espousals.

Gabrielle and I apparated into the ministry individually under our own power and started off towards our own offices after a quick kiss. I couldn't wait to see the expression on Harry's face when I revealed my new wand, that was going to be priceless, and it was all his fault. There was a hand written memo on the desk, which after some difficulty reading I thought said 'return to sender' on my arrival. I folded the note and threw it into the air. The paper plane flew out my door, turned right and out of my sight. I quickly put it from my mind and looked at the paperwork on my desk, mostly routine, nothing that really warranted my attention, just a couple of reports.

I looked up as someone came into the office, Harry followed by Kingsley, "well Dudley, seems you've still got magic, that memo, could only be sent by someone with it, so what did Mr. Ollivander say?"

Damn! That was half the fun taken out of my revelation, they knew I still had magic, should have anticipated that one. I looked up glaringly at Harry, "it was all your fault!" The look on his face was priceless, shock and almost fear at the fury behind my words. "When you adopted me as a brother, you gave me a power boost of some kind, caused me to be too powerful for my own wand. Anytime I use that wand I'll have the risk of similar consequences."

He looked quite apologetic, "sorry Dudley I didn't think it could have that sort of complication, I've never heard of anything similar!"

I looked up at them both, Kingsley in the rear had a smile on his face, but Harry looked stricken as if he'd dealt me a crippling blow. "you should look bad, Harry, the trouble I caused Mr. Ollivander trying to find a wand that would work for me, he must gone through a couple of dozen till he found this." I held up my new wand.

Harry just looked stunned at the new wand in my hand, but Kingsley came forward to shake my hand, "congratulations Dudley, a most apt demonstration of the Flamel effect; might I ask what your wand is?"

The minister evidently knew of the incident that Gabrielle had spoken of this morning, about Nicholas Flamel, but Harry again looked puzzled, glancing from the minister to me and back. This was fun. "Olive wood and phoenix feather minister, Mr. Ollivander said it was a feather from a female phoenix, the only one he ever used." Well the expression on Harry's face, I think he'll have to retrieve his jaw from the floor, such shock.

"You've got a phoenix feather in your wand, that's weird, because..."

"I know; you have as well! Mr. Ollivander told me, but yours is from a male phoenix, Fawkes, I think he said, mine is from a female phoenix."

"I didn't know there were male and female phoenix, I thought they were reborn from their own ashes!"

"Just shows that you never took N.E.W.T. Care of Magical Creatures, you'd have learnt about them in the seventh year. A phoenix will mate once in its life and the female will lay 2 eggs; one male and one female. In the event of one of the parents dying a permanent death, such as happened when Fawkes immolated himself in the fire of Dumbledore's tomb, the eggs begin to hatch, but can only fully hatch under the right circumstances. They need fire to hatch completely. Since Dumbledore's phoenix died, I haven't heard of any new eggs hatching, but the eggs must be out there somewhere or phoenixes will die out completely."

Harry was looking the minister in shock at this little titbit of information, Harry had obviously heard a little, as Dumbledore had had a phoenix. We both listened further as Kingsley explained that until its parent died the egg could sit in a blast furnace and never hatch or sit in front of wizard on his desk forever and never be seen as more than a curious stone, but in the right circumstances the egg would make itself known and hatching could begin. Of course this happened so rarely that no one knew what the right circumstances where. It was all down to blind luck.

Now that I was a fully fledged wizard with a proper wand of my own instead of the magical crutch that I'd had before Kingsley was even more adamant than ever that I get my N.E.W.T.s done as quickly as possible. He was most interested to see if the excellent grades I'd got in my O.W.L.s would improve or if it was all just natural skill. More bloody exams. I knew one thing I wasn't going to be revising as hard for these as I had for the O.W.L.s; I'd grown sick of the sight of textbooks, if I didn't know it now! Tough!

So it was that a schedule of exams was set up and I began the dreadful task of passing yet another set. I was surprised how much better I did in some subjects than before, Muggle Studies, Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Ancient Runes, Herbology and History of Magic seemed much like I remembered, no real magic was wanted or needed in the exams, just plain old fashioned knowledge. Same old boring type of exam I'd had all through school; write an essay on this; discuss that; blah, blah, blah.

Transfiguration was a massive shock though, instead of transforming the desk into a hippogriff, as asked, I managed to transfigure all six desks in the small cubicle in the ministry where I was taking my exam. The shock on the examiners face as he reversed the spell was one to behold; I don't know how he marked me on that, the power I must have put behind it though impressed the hell out of me! Big change from not being able to transfigure a teabag into a cup of tea. Charms was very similar, It felt so much easier, I didn't put nearly so much effort into getting the spells to work and suffered no major mishaps that I could see, and indeed the examiner seemed to be smiling when everything was all over, a good sign in my opinion.

Potions wasn't that much different, but it felt different, easier, I have no justification for this, it just felt easier, more natural somehow. Astrology wasn't too bad, despite having to take the exam in the middle of the night, I managed quite easily in my identification of several obscure constellations, such as Corvus, Cetus, and the markers and stars in the Egyptian Astrological calendar as required.

My Defence Against the Dark Arts exam was a great success; I successfully managed to ward off all the illusory dark creatures that were hurled at me by my examiner. The worst was the dementor he sent at me; I'd never summoned up a patronus before, I'd been told the theory by Hogwarts, the castle and Harry that you needed a strong powerful happy memory; but at first all I could remember was that night in Little Whinging when one of those disgusting things had attacked me. Summoning up my courage I thought of when Gabrielle had accepted my proposal; kept the memory strong in my mind, "Expecto Patronum." A brilliant white light shot from the end of my wand, resolving itself into the shape of a short eared owl, pushing the fake dementor away as if it had been shot from a cannon and knocking the examiner off his stool as it passed him.

The examiner got himself to his feet and looked at me with a broad grin on his face, "excellent, my dear boy, most impressive, one of the few Patronuses I've seen with some actual substance behind them." I could live with this fellow calling me boy; I swear he looked old enough to have examined Solomon, let alone Dumbledore.

Divination, what can I say about that, my tesseomancy, (reading tea leaves), was a joke, all I could see was myself talking to a centaur, whilst walking on water, what a joke! Cartomancy, (telling the future by Tarot Cards), was even worse, but I spoke out what I saw to the examiner. "The Horseman will make peace from his home, when the king is in the house of the whale." I mean what absolute drivel, but that's what I could see in the cards, what utter rot"

But eventually everything was over by the end of February and I was free to enjoy myself outside work, spending time with Gabrielle, and Harry and his family, I loved the time I spent with my godson, such a cheerful chappy. At times I'm sure he barely tolerated me, especially when his favourite playmate was there; Harry's godson Teddy; Teddy could keep him occupied for hours as he changed his appearance, first with rabbit ears, then a horses face, James would giggle playfully for hours watching this.

I'd told Harry that I wanted him to be the best man at my wedding and where we were hoping to actually get married. Our choice for the priest at the wedding surprised him a little until the meanings behind it all were clear and I think it touched him slightly. I never actually saw him crying the night we told him, but it was a close run thing, the link back to his parents and all.

It was the middle of March when I received an owl from M. and Mme. Delacour to appraise me of the final details, Gabrielle and I would be married on the 30th April, nearly a month before my twenty fifth birthday; everything had been arranged. They wanted to know if they should post the invitations to my parents or would I like to deliver them in person

I gave Gabrielle a questioning look, and she seemed to think handing the invitations over in person would be the best option, which was in agreement with my own feelings on the matter, so we sent a reply back with the owl saying we would deliver them by hand and asking that they send the invitations to us by return. I phoned Mum and Dad to say that we would be over to dinner at theirs the next Sunday, but try as I might to make it sound like a casual visit, I'm sure Mum cottoned on to something.

The invitations for Mum, Dad and Aunt Marge arrived at mine on the Thursday morning, in plenty of time for us to take them with us on the Sunday, so everything was ready for the day, my only problem was going to be Dad. I just hoped the idea of having all Gabrielle's extended family there wouldn't freak him out too much, all those witches and wizards. Since admitting to me that his rants against Harry had been due to fear, he tried his best to be nice to myself and Gabrielle, and so far he'd been most polite, if a little distant or nervous around Gabrielle, her being a witch.

I knocked on the door of Mum and Dad's that Sunday morning, hoping that the day would progress in a pleasant manner. The only major difference in the decor of the hall, that I could see, was a stair lift on the wall, hopefully not for Dad as he'd lost quite a bit of weight and was looking better than I'd seen him in years. As he showed me into the lounge, I was surprised to find a third person there, Aunt Marge, well that explained the stair lift, her health had been bad for a few years and obviously she couldn't climb stairs very well. Mum had obviously realised a bit more from my phone call than I gave her credit for and invited her as well. Saved me getting directions to her new place from Dad.

Mum came from the kitchen with a tray all set up for tea and sat down on the sofa next to Gabrielle, her usual seat being occupied by aunt Marge, she poured tea for all of us and looked at me over the brim of her cup. "Well, Dudley, Gabrielle why the sudden desire to have Sunday dinner with your parents?" No fooling her then, she had known something was up. Gabrielle reached into her handbag and withdrew two stiff envelopes. One addressed to Mr. and Mrs. V. Dursley, the other to Miss M. Dursley. I took them from her and handed them over. Mum opened the one addressed to her and Dad and read:

_To Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Dursley._

_M. and Mme. Delacour _

_Cordially invite You to celebrate the marriage of_

_Their daughter Gabrielle Marie Delacour_

_And_

_Dudley Vernon Dursley_

_At The Cathédrale Saint-Bénigne de Dijon _

_Saturday 30th April 2005. 11am._

_We hope you will be able to attend this joyous occasion._

Mum looked up from reading the letter, tears in her eyes, "that's wonderful Dudley! And a real cathedral too?" I did point out to her that it was the local church of her family and the service would be done by a priest who was related to Gabby by marriage, his local parish being in England though, somewhere called Godric's Hollow. Her eyebrows had risen slightly at this last little bit of information and she took a handkerchief from her pocket and she dabbed at her eyes.

Dad had looked at me, when he heard the location for the wedding and for a few minutes had kept glancing across at Aunt Marge and thinking hard. "Dudley, why a French church, won't it be a little odd to have the wedding in French and everything else?" I could definitely see his fear in those words, he was expecting magic at the wedding, and his glance at aunt Marge sort of iced the cake in that regard; she being the only member of my immediate family that had no idea of that side of the family.

"No Dad! The wedding will be in English, that's why we got Father Niall, it's quite acceptable to the local priest, Niall being a family member; and most of Gabrielle's family speak very good English, it's taught in their schools." A bit of a lie, the wedding could have been taken place in Sanskrit, Urdu or any language you cared to mention, but everyone would hear it in their own language, one of the benefits of the charms on the church; I'd spoken to Gabrielle about this, the same charms were also over the reception rooms at the church where the reception after would be taking place.

Aunt Marge looked up from her invite, "very nice Dudley, but I may have to decline from attending, my health you know?" I assured everyone that that would not be a problem; if any of my relatives wished to attend my future parents-in-law were prepared to pay for accommodation at a local hotel for the Friday and Saturday nights and all travel! I'd discussed this with them at the New Year when the idea was first broached and indeed offered to pay this myself if necessary, but had been assured there was no need.

Dad was a little concerned over my choice of best man, considering the way he's been treated by us as a family when he was growing up and I could see the panic in his eyes at the prospect of meeting him again. A bit understandable, he'd been portkeyed home from Bristol, one of the times he'd seen Harry and suffered a heart attack the next. Mum and Marge were adamant he had nothing to fear from him, indeed Marge was the most eloquent in his defence; bit of a surprise to me, but she really had changed her attitude to my cousin since he'd arranged for her to visit Dad in hospital when he had his heart attack. Eventually he had stopped any protests he might have had, but I could see that he was still worried.

Much to my surprise, I actually had a pleasant day with my relatives, and left later than I anticipated, after a very enjoyable dinner and a light tea later. Dad was taking Aunt Marge back to the home where she lived when Gabby and I were getting ready to leave as well. Mum looked at me as I was getting into my leathers to drive home, "I think I detected a couple of lies in you, this afternoon young man. If Gabrielle's family are all wizard folk won't they be wearing robes, what about your Dad and Aunt seeing that? Your father might accept it, having seen that sort of thing before, but what about Marge?"

"The cathedral is spelled Mum, wards against the veela allure, against muggles seeing magic, and indeed charms for language, that's partly why we chose it. They'll notice nothing out of the ordinary during the ceremony; the hall where the reception is taking place is similarly spelled. You'll be able to see through the illusions if you carry your special wand, but those two will remain blissfully ignorant."

"Very well Dudley, I understand, it's very generous of her parents to fund all this, have you any ideas where you'd like to go for honeymoon, and maybe your father and I could assist you with that?"

Gabrielle and I had both talked about our honeymoon, but as yet had made no arrangements, as until now we hadn't known the date of the wedding, "Gabrielle and I were discussing going to Massachusetts in the states, neither of us have been that far abroad, and strictly in confidence we thought we might look at the Salem Academy of Magic, it's one of three very good schools in the States. Compare curriculums and things like that, not that we'll be sending our children there, but out of curiosity, you understand?"

"Sounds fascinating, at least allow your father and I to pay for that, plane tickets, accommodation etc. It's the least we could do!"

"Well we were planning to travel by international portkey, it's quicker than a plane; but if you still wanted to pay for that, I could give you the phone number for the International Portkey Office at the ministry and you could make enquiries!" She nodded to this, so I gave her the number and Gabrielle and I departed for London.

It was Thursday 14th April that I received an owl with the results of my N.E.W.T.s and like the last time I had an audience as I opened the envelope, Gabrielle, Kingsley and Harry were all in my office waiting to see how I had done this time in my exams. Swallowing and with a certain sense of trepidation, I opened the envelope.

Dear Dudley,

Please find enclosed the results of the N.E.W.T. exams taken by yourself earlier at the beginning of the year, it is with great pleasure that I enclose your results and say that I am most impressed and if you had been attending Hogwarts would have been the most qualified student of your year.

Ancient Runes O.

Arithmancy E.

Astrology E.

Care of Magical Creatures E.

Charms O.

Defence Against the Dark Arts O+.

Divination O+.

Herbology E.

History of Magic O.

Muggle Studies O.

Potions O.

Transfiguration O.

I must say again that I am extremely pleased with these results; I only wish I could take credit for them as one of your teachers. Best wishes for the future.

M. McGonagall.

Headmistress.

Harry looked at me, "bloody hell Dudley, where were you keeping those brains when you were a kid, I've never seen such grades, and I've never even heard of an O+ grade, I thought the highest was O!"

Kingsley was looking at me, with a very pleased expression on his face, "very impressive, young man. I honestly think I should stop referring to you as a muggle anymore, you've definitely proved you're not. I definitely must convene the Wizengamot and get your status changed to wizard, half-blood at least." I looked at him in awe, although I could do magic I had been a muggle to everyone at work, I would officially become a recognised wizard, with all the rights and privileges that went with that. "yes, I believe that is definitely in order! Congratulations, my boy!"

Gabrielle rushed up give me a kiss that would have resulted in us falling in a heap to the floor if I hadn't been backed up against the wall of my office. Kingsley and Harry were turning to leave my office, and give Gabrielle and I a little privacy when there was a loud chime from somewhere and a small gold bound scroll was sitting on my desk. It certainly looked impressive I must admit. Everybody was looking hard at the scroll and at me with disbelief in their eyes. What was so special about a scroll? I admit its method of arrival had been a bit out of the ordinary.

Harry looked completely shaken by this and Kingsley wasn't that much different. He swallowed hard and looked at me, "I think you should open your scroll Dudley! I certainly wasn't expecting this!"

I looked up at him, puzzlement in my eyes, but reached for the scroll and opened it:

Let it hereby be recognised that Dudley Vernon Dursley is granted full right and privilege as a Lord of The Wizarding Court of Charlemagne. Through right of blood and descent, through unempowered female lineage.

Let it be known that being the first of his line in long standing to be of male descent and having Magical Potential that he be granted all Legal Status and Standing as A Head of House.

Set and Sealed this Date Thursday 14th April in the Year of Our Lord Twenty Hundred and Five.

At the bottom of this were several wax seals and a gold seal, looking very impressive and important in the way old fashioned documents used to. I looked at Kingsley and Harry, who were both equally stunned by the contents of the scroll I had just read out.

"Well! Mr. Dursley, I must say you are full of surprises. The more usual route through which such a thing happens these days is that the Wizengamot will decide to grant Head of House status on some worthy individual, this is the first time in over 500 years that I have heard of a proper ennoblement from the Court of Charlemagne itself, the last one I heard of was in France when Nicholas Flamel, an ordinary muggle alchemist created the philosophers stone and on drinking it made himself an immortal wizard. He, when he found himself unable to father more children, adopted his own natural born children as wizard kin by blood magic. Much the same as Harry did to you recently. Those children went on to form the Fleming family that is still of pureblood status to this day!"

I looked at everyone in stunned amazement; "but that's impossible, Charlemagne was king over 1200 years ago, his empire no longer exists. This must be a joke!"

"No Joke Dudley! The basis of our society was set in motion by the Emperor Charlemagne himself; it was his court that set out the first set of Wizarding Laws that are upheld by the Wizengamot and the International Confederation of Wizardry, the ICW, to this day.

"Does this mean that my status as Lord Potter came to me, through the Court of Charlemagne as well, the same as the Black's, and Malfoy's?"

"Oh yes. The Potters' and the Malfoys' are both primary families; the Blacks' were a Tertiary family. Dudley would be let me see, a quinary family, or fifth family. The fact that his status was actually granted by the power of the Court itself is of vast significance. If the Wizengamot grants that status, then the individual is just a head of house, only the Court itself has the right to grant a patent of wizarding nobility; that never being given to the Wizengamot."

"Bloody hell Dudley, congratulations; Lord Dursley." He looked at Kingsley, "how come this was never taught at school; I found out I was Lord Potter only on going through my family accounts and ledgers."

"Normally this is explained to a son by his father, yours of course died before he could explain it all to you. It would have been all made clear to you when you became 25 and took your family seat on the Wizengamot."

"Fascinating, I still wish I'd known before this, but you're right I probably would have been told by my father, if he'd lived. It must be a fascinating history to learn more about; unfortunately I've been put off learning history thanks to Binns, honestly the most boring teacher I've encountered." He looked at me and then the minister, "What I don't understand is these O+ grades that Dudley has just got on his exams. I thought O was the highest grade and he tops that; I'll admit I'm a little envious that he beat my result in Defence, but I'm still curious as to how?"

"Well; Harry, Dudley there is a reason for those + grades; in Defence, Dudley not only managed to manifest a corporeal patronus as you can, but his patronus had some physical aspect to it as well, he managed to knock his examiner off his stool, almost unheard of. In Divination it appears that Dudley made a genuine prophecy and a copy was automatically recorded in the department of mysteries. The archives you damaged a few years ago were only the copies of original prophesies, there for consultation purposes by the Unspeakables. Don't get me wrong, they were protected in the way you were informed, in that only yourself or Voldemort could take your particular prophecy from the shelf, but it is possible for one of the Unspeakables to examine such a copy in the archive there to see whether or not part or all of it has come true. The original copies of all prophecies were and are kept in a spell locked vault that no one has access to. They cannot be destroyed or checked up on."

"Are you saying Dudley is a seer?"

"Good heavens! No! Anyone can make a valid prophecy, it is only those individuals that have it happen as a regular occurrence get to be called seers. Cassandra Trelawney, the grandmother of your own Professor made about 60 or 70 such prophecies in her lifetime, your professor from what I am able to understand made two, both relating to Voldemort; that does not qualify her to be called a seer, much as she wishes it."

"I think I see minister! So what does Dudley's prophecy mean?"

"I've no idea, neither have the Unspeakables; they just know it's a genuine prophecy as a copy was made in their records. Like most prophecy it's drivel couched in more twists and turns than a muggle murder mystery. I doubt, we'll understand what it means until it comes true. That's partly why I never set much faith in prophecy; most of it is about as much use as the Daily Prophet. In other words; none."

I'll admit I was slightly stunned by this news, the seemingly ridiculous things I'd seen in my tea leaves and tarot cards were a real prophecy, as far as I could tell it made no sense at all and that had been a genuine prophecy. Just proves what utter rubbish the subject was.

"Anyway that all pales into insignificance when we consider the other thing your cousin has managed to accomplish; not only has he managed to achieve the best N.E.W.T. scores I've seen in decades, but he's the newest head of a wizarding family; we'll have to have a full session of the Wizengamot and get you installed in your seat. Best if we wait until Harry can take his seat as well and do them both on the same day." I nodded numbly at this; it was all going a bit too fast for me. The minister then glanced at me, "there is another matter, I wish to discuss with you, Dudley! Why has the ministry received a request for an international portkey from your mother? The ministry is not in the habit of supplying such things for muggle vacations!"

"What! Oh! Sorry, I forgot to mention it to you I suppose, for our honeymoon, Gabby and I were thinking of going to the States and Mum wanted to buy our plane tickets, I mentioned a portkey; I'd forgotten about it to be honest."

"Very well, under the circumstances I understand, we will sort that out for your mother, so she can give it to you for your wedding day.

The actual final run up to the wedding was one of several conflicting emotions and feelings for me. In one respect the time seemed to drag, yet at the same time it seemed to fly; what with getting myself fitted with proper robes for the occasion and Harry too; checking that Aunt Marge, Mum and Dad had all travel arrangements sorted. I was looking forward to getting married, but at the same time, I was so nervous, I was going to be a married man.

In what seemed like no time at all, I was standing in front of the altar with Harry at my side, waiting for my bride to make her way down the aisle to join us. My stomach was doing flip flops; I couldn't tell whether nervousness or what was causing it.

Mum, Dad, and Aunt Marge were seated with my wizarding relatives; Mum and Aunt Marge were both deep in conversation with Molly Weasley about something, I have no idea what. I must say that the charms seemed to be holding out, Aunt Marge didn't seem aware of the fact that nearly all of the guests were in robes. Dad was sat bolt upright in a conservative grey suit, trying very hard not to look to either side of himself, in case he saw anything magical, the nervousness and fear in his posture was evident if you knew how to see it.

I was suddenly aware of Father Niall asking a question, and having Gabrielle's hand placed in mine by her father. I looked at her and smiled as she stood at my side. I vaguely heard her say "I do," from next to me and the next thing I remember is Harry poking me in the ribs.

I looked at him and he nodded towards the priest; "I do," I managed to say, hoping that was the appropriate response to whatever had been said. Harry rolled his eyes at me and held out his hand which held two rings. I took one from him and nervously put it on Gabrielle's finger; "with this ring I the wed!"

Gabrielle placed my ring on my finger and I became aware of a feeling of completeness, that I'd never felt before, as if part of Me had been missing, as the air around us seemed to sparkle. The next thing I knew was Gabrielle was kissing me so hard and passionately that I really didn't feel like stopping. There was a discreet cough from my side and I slowly came to my senses. Polite laughter could be heard from the congregation and I smiled sheepishly.

I was married to the beautiful woman I loved, I was a wizarding lord; who could have forseen this all those years ago when I went to see my cousin at Hogwarts hoping that he'd see me. This really was the start of something new for me...

This is the end of the story for now. I will eventually get round to writing and posting 'New Resolutions' which will show more of Dudley's life as a married man and a wizard. Best wishes to everyone who has read, and enjoyed this tale. Many thanks to you all!

Author Note: I recently read a downloaded backup of my story and noticed that ff had deleted the email and web addresses from within some of my chapters; I rechecked a story that I remembered had an email address in it and have reposted the chapters, 20, 23 and 26 with the addresses written in such a way that you should be able to read them. Of course, your own computer won't be able to access them without the proper magical encryption codes, sorry!

On another note I have noticed that in chapter 31, I stated Dudley's birthday as 23 April, I have amended this to June, my apologies.


End file.
